In News:

As the world approaches COP30 in Brazil (2025), the role of ethics in climate governance has been revived through the launch of the Global Ethical Stocktake. This initiative aims to place justice, equity, responsibility, and intergenerational fairness at the core of global climate action, complementing the scientific urgency highlighted by rising emissions and warming temperatures.

Ethical Dimensions of Climate Action:

• Justice and Equity:
  • The principle of common but differentiated responsibilities under the UNFCCC reflects fairness—developed nations bear historical responsibility, while developing nations require space for sustainable growth.
  • The Paris Agreement’s “leave no one behind” principle embodies distributive justice.
• Intergenerational Responsibility:
  • Present decisions affect the survival prospects of future generations. Ethical stewardship, not exploitation, is essential.
  • In 2025, the International Court of Justice reaffirmed intergenerational equity as central to climate treaties.
• Human Rights Linkage:
  • Access to food, water, housing, and a healthy environment is inseparable from the right to life (Article 21, Indian Constitution).
  • The Inter-American Court (2024) declared the right to a safe climate a fundamental human right.
• Integrity and Credibility:
  • The gap between climate promises and delivery undermines trust. Ethical governance requires accountability, transparency, and scientific rigor in Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
  • Corporate greenwashing erodes credibility, emphasizing the need for ethical corporate responsibility.
• Solidarity with the Vulnerable:
  • Marginalized groups, Indigenous peoples, and communities in the Global South face disproportionate risks. Ethical climate action ensures inclusion and empathy in adaptation strategies.
  • Community-based initiatives, such as the Himachal Pradesh snow leopard survey, illustrate ethics of inclusion in environmental stewardship.

Role of Ethics in Governance:

• Guiding Negotiators: Ethics reminds negotiators of moral responsibility, where delays equate to human suffering and ecosystem loss.
• Embedding Frameworks: Initiatives like the Global Ethical Stocktake institutionalize ethics alongside scientific assessments.
• Judicial Oversight: Courts link morality with law, compelling states to respect climate and human rights obligations.
• Corporate Responsibility: Businesses must adopt ethical approaches to avoid tokenistic climate pledges.

Ethics in the Indian Context:

• Constitutional Mandates:
  • Article 48A – Duty of the State to protect the environment.
  • Article 51A(g) – Duty of citizens to protect natural resources.
• Judicial Precedents: Vellore Citizens’ Forum vs Union of India (1996) upheld the precautionary principle and polluter pays principle.
• Gandhian Philosophy: Trusteeship aligns with sustainable consumption and responsibility toward nature.

Challenges:

• National interest vs. global good delays climate finance and technology transfer.
• Political polarization and denialism hinder consensus despite rising urgency.
• Greenwashing and weak enforcement erode accountability.
• Adaptation finance remains underfunded, leaving vulnerable populations exposed.

Way Forward:

• Institutionalize the Global Ethical Stocktake to align climate action with justice and equity.
• Implement just transition policies protecting livelihoods while shifting from fossil fuels.
• Strengthen ethical climate jurisprudence to ensure rights-based accountability.
• Promote ethical leadership and integrate climate ethics into education and policymaking.

Conclusion:
Climate change is as much a moral challenge as a scientific one. Ethics—anchored in justice, responsibility, solidarity, and intergenerational equity—must guide global action. Embedding ethics into negotiations, law, community initiatives, and corporate practices is essential to restore credibility, build trust, and ensure a liveable planet for present and future generations.