Climate Change: The ‘Future’ Is Now

11/29/20222 min read

Climate change is a problem for both the present and the future and must be viewed from the perspectives of both intergenerational and intragenerational equity.

Climate change is already impacting Singapore (where I was born) and Korea (where I live). Singapore is experiencing rising temperatures and sea levels, and more intense rainfall and flooding, and may expect reduced water supply and more occurrence of disease (NCSS). In Korea, floods may increase in frequency and volume and cause more damage, forest disasters are likely to increase in frequency and magnitude, and habitats and species may become endangered or lost (Moon et al 2021).

Intergenerational equity requires that this generation hand the planet over to the next generation “in no worse a condition than we received it” so that they have “equitable access to its resources” (Weiss 1989); we must “[meet] the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” (Brundtland 1987). Article 3 of the United Nations (“UN”) Framework on Climate Change (“UNFCCC”) urges Parties to “protect the climate system for the benefit of present and future generations of humankind” (UNFCCC).

The intergenerational issues highlighted in present climate discourse, such as atmospheric concentrations (Kverndokk et al 2014), are also intragenerationally relevant. Within any generation, and across geographical regions, poor communities are most vulnerable to climate impacts and have lowest adaptive capacity (Weiss 2008).

The poor of the future will bear the brunt of the accelerated adverse effects of climate change already being experienced today.

(251 words)

References:

  1. Brundtland, G.H. (1987). ‘Our Common Future: Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development’. Geneva, UN-Dokument A/42/427. http://www.un-documents.net/ocf-ov.htm

  2. Kverndokk, S., Nævdal, E., and Nøstbakken, L. (2014). ‘The trade-off between intra- and intergenerational equity in climate policy’. European Economic Review, Volume 69, 2014, Pages 40-58, ISSN 0014-2921, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.euroecorev.2014.01.007

  3. Moon, T.H., Chae, Y., Lee, D.S., Kim, D.H., and Kim, H.G. (2021). ‘Analyzing climate change impacts on health, energy, water resources, and biodiversity sectors for effective climate change policy in South Korea’. Sci Rep 11, 18512 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-97108-7

  4. National Climate Change Secretariat of Singapore (“NCSS”). 'Impact Of Climate Change In Singapore'. https://www.nccs.gov.sg/singapores-climate-action/impact-of-climate-change-in-singapore/

  5. United Nations Framework on Climate Change (“UNFCCC”). https://unfccc.int/resource/docs/convkp/conveng.pdf

  6. Weiss, E.B. (1989). ‘Climate change, intergenerational equity and international law: An introductory note’. Climatic Change 15, 327–335 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00138858

  7. Weiss, E.B. (2008). ‘Climate Change, Intergenerational Equity, and International Law’. 9 Vt. J. Envtl. L. 615-627 (2008) https://scholarship.law.georgetown.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2637&context=facpub