Individual and Collective Responses to Global Warming

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A central focus in science, technology and society studies examines uses of science and scientific tools in societal and organizational decision-making. In recent years, climatologists and other atmospheric scientists have become increasingly concerned about the possibility of global warming induced by carbon dioxide and trace gases. Policy actions are under consideration in response to this possibility. This is an area of scientific complexity and uncertainty, where values have important influence and questions of community and justice deserve important consideration. This award will enable a philosopher at the University of Colorado-Boulder who specializes in applied ethics to study the phenomena of global warming and socio-economic models of projected impacts with natural, physical and social scientists at the National Center for Atmospheric Research, also on the Boulder campus. They will assist him to study the literature in these fields and allow him to study the literatures in these fields and allow him to participate in some research experiments and exercises. In particular, he will work on methodological issues regarding the Case-Scenario Approach to the projection of impacts. These studies will form the basis for a review and assessment of policy options based on alternative moral claims. Final products are expected to include both individual and collaborative presentations and publications. This project addresses a very important issue. The principal investigator and his host specialists are uniquely well-qualified to undertake it. Institutional support is very good. Collaborative efforts are likely to continue after the period of this award. Results are likely to be appropriately disseminated and useful. An award in the amount of $36,000 is therefore recommended.