The ethics of climate change

Future generations will suffer most of the harmful effects of global climate change. Whether to aggressively reduce the chances of future harm or to let our richer descendants largely fend for themselves depends on the present generation. Changing patterns of rainfall will lead to local shortages of food and safe drinking water. Heat waves, storms and floods will kill many people and harm many others. The costs of mitigating climate change are the sacrifices the present generation will have to make to reduce greenhouse gases. Economists cannot avoid making ethical choices in formulating their advice. Even the small chance of utter catastrophe from global warming raises special problems for ethical discussion.