Consequentialism as an Intergenerational Ethic

Author(s):  
Tim Mulgan

Consequentialist morality is about making the world a better place—by promoting value and producing valuable outcomes. Consequentialist ethics competes with non-consequentialist alternatives where values are to be honored or instantiated rather than promoted and/or where morality is based on rules, virtues, or rights rather than values. Consequentialism’s main rivals in intergenerational ethics are contract-based theories. This chapter first argues that consequentialism has significant comparative advantages over its contract-based rivals, especially in relation to non-identity, the absence of reciprocity, and the need for flexibility and radical critique. These advantages outweigh the challenges facing any consequentialist intergenerational ethics—including cluelessness, counterintuitive demands, and puzzles of aggregation. The chapter then explores many varieties of contemporary consequentialism, arguing that the best consequentialist approach to intergenerational justice is agnostic, moderate, collective consequentialism. Different possible futures—including futures broken by climate change or transformed by new technologies—present new ethical challenges that consequentialism has the flexibility to address. Collective consequentialism can also resolve long-standing debates about the aggregation of well-being. The chapter ends by asking how consequentialist intergenerational ethics might evaluate threats of human extinction, incorporate the value of nonhuman nature, and motivate its potentially extreme demands.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Naseer Ahmed Abbasi ◽  
Xiangzhou Xu

<p><strong>Abstracts:</strong> Influenced by global climate change, water shortages and other extreme weather, water scarcity in the world is an alarming sign. This article provides evidences regarding the Tunnel and Tianhe project’s feasibility and their technical, financial, political, socioeconomic and environmental aspects. Such as how to utilize the water vapour in the air and to build a 1000 km long tunnel project to fulfill the goal of solving water shortage in China. The projects are promising to solve the problem of water, food and drought in the country. In addition, the telecoupling framework helps to effectively understand and manage ecosystem services, as well as the different challenges associated with them. Such efforts can help find the ways for proper utilization of water resources and means of regulation.</p><p><strong>Key words: </strong>Sustainability; water shortage; transfer project</p>


2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 91-96
Author(s):  
Olena Taranukha

The digital economy allows to compose the new business models, digital platforms and services, which create new types of economic activity, as well as the transformation of traditional industries. Due to the industries transformation to the digital economy there is the transformation of the world economy, or rather the economy itself is being digitized The purpose of the paper is to reveal the essence and features of the digital economy formation and to consider what significant transformations will take place in the world by the analysis of major trends in the near future. Accumulating all the concepts, we can say that the digital economy is the rather complex term, but we can assume that its development is based on the key components According to forecast estimates, the most advanced retail companies will begin implementing the service of virtual and voice search of goods by 2022. This will require from the company the better understanding of the consumers wishes, their interests and intentions. Consider the main technological development trends for 2020-2025 based on the data of the major consulting agencies and the consulting company "Cartner" Figure 2 shows the forecast curve of the new technologies development. Innovative development triggers that will actively influence the technology development include the following: the Authenticated Provenance, Low-Cost Single Board Computers at the Edge, Self-Supervised Learning, BMI (Brain Machine Interface), active development of "Packaged Business Capabilities" services, Digital Twin of the Person and Composible Enterprises. The peak of disappointments will be Social Distancing Technologies and Secure Access Service. The source of expectations will be the development of Carbon-Based transistors technology and Human digital Ontologies. The formation of a productivity platform will be based on trends in Self-Development and Self-Education. Digital IT trends grow, evolve and acquire new properties of social technologies that can influence the structure of the community, form dependencies and demand. Therefore, companies, large corporations and government need to move to more flexible composite business architectures. The modular business model is based on four basic principles: modularity, efficiency, continuous improvement and adaptive innovation. This business model allows to move from rigid traditional planning to a flexible response to rapidly changing business needs. In general, it creates opportunities for innovative approaches, reduces costs and improves partnerships. It is important to pay attention to the other technologies in the new business model such as bundled business services, data factories, private 5G networks and embedded artificial intelligence. Thus, as a result of the research it is proved that the digital world is a completely new order of life, which requires to change our thinking. The person should be always focused on the new technologies and methods in order the enterprises remain competitive and constantly developed, it will promote the economy development and the growth of well-being of the society. So, taking into account the global trends in technology development, Ukraine has to adapt to the new standards quickly and implement innovative solutions for the economic development. The digitalization of the economy, on the one hand, is the key to economic success, on the other hand, it is the driving force in the conditions of the conceptual understanding of the digital economy essence. The growth of the quality and innovation level of domestic goods and services should provide not only sustainable economic growth, but also competitive advantages with further integration into the EU. At the same time, there is the relevant need of the scientific and technological research, the formation of a certain business ("digital") culture, the implementation of smart city ideas in Ukraine based on the development of local communities and the emergence of new initiatives and proposals for innovative solutions.


2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (03) ◽  
pp. 364-369
Author(s):  
Dennis Tourish

AbstractLeadership research largely ignores the really big issues facing our species, such as climate change, the now rapid growth of new technologies that are already transforming the world of work, and the possibility that an insufficiently reformed banking system will inflict a worse crisis on us than it did in 2008. We also have a proliferation of leadership constructs that often look remarkably like those they are trying to replace. There is much heat but little illumination. The dominant methodologies that the field employs are part of a wider crisis in management studies where many of our claimed results are invalid and/or unreliable, unreproducible and offer little guidance for practice. I conclude that radical changes are needed if we are to play a serious role in improving the world in which we live. Let's take Ken Parry's lead, and make a difference.


2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 122-133
Author(s):  
Bogusław Wojtyszyn

Abstract The article concerns urban spaces highly responsible for climate change in the country, Europe, and the world. This topic is now of major importance because it reflects on every citizen of Europe and the world in that we all confront the necessity of climate protection and adaptation also in law, to climate change in urban areas. It is associated with a radical change of lifestyle in the world’s cities, mainly in terms of energy consumption and its methods of production. The research results presented in the article indicate the need to adapt current methods for slowing down adverse climate change into functional and spatial systems of urban development and their economic, legal, and social conditions affecting the pace of implementation of new technologies for climate-friendly sources such as low-carbon, energy-saving, and renewable energy. Attention was also paid to the possibility of ecological revitalization of the existing urban structure of buildings, among other things, in order to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions adversely affecting the climate. On the other hand, modern ideas for an Eco-City and solutions for a Green-City and Solar-City, presented in the article, implemented through sustainable development in the field of planning activities and energy management methods, can be additional indicators of the direction of sustainable development for Polish cities for climate protection and adaptation to its changes.


2012 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Donna Lou E. Neri

The World Health Organization (2003) stated that there is growing evidence that changes in the global climate will have profound effects on the well-being of citizens in countries throughout the world. The “business as usual” frame of mind in dealing with this phenomenon is no longer feasible. Rather, there is a great need for a “sense of urgency” to empower and actively involve every individual to adapt and to mitigate the worsening of climate change. A great number of studies show that the leadership of the educational system in developed countries for more than 2 decades has been successful in promoting environmental sustainability. Some of these studies are reviewed and documented in this paper so that vulnerable countries may learn and benchmark from their experiences. Keywords - Education, sustainable development, climate change


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Isak Karabegović

It is well-known that, in the past decades, the burning of fossil fuels was identified as the major cause of climate change. Climate change mitigation is becoming a central concern of global society. Limiting global warming to below 2 °C above the temperature of the pre-industrial period is the key to preserving global ecosystems and providing a secure basis for human activities, as well as reducing excessive environmental change. The ambitions increased at an accelerated pace with a dramatic expansion of net zero-emission targets. Increasing pressure from citizens and society has forced countries to intensify their climate plans, while the private sector has bought a record amount of renewable energy. An energy system based on fossil fuels must be replaced by renewable energy with low carbon emissions with improved energy efficiency. That applies to all consumers of fossil energy: cities, villages, building sectors, industry, transport, agriculture, and forestry. The paper explores and presents the strategy of energy development of renewable energy sources in the world. The application of new technologies that have led to developing renewable energy sources is presented in detail: wind energy, solar energy, small hydropower plants, biomass, and their increase in the total share of energy production, i.e., reduced fossil fuel use in energy production. Investments in new technologies used in renewable energy sources have led to increases in employment worldwide. Analysis of the trend of increased energy production from RES (Renewable Energy Sources) with investment plans, the employment rate for each energy source, and the development of renewable energy sources in the coming period are provided.


2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Peno

Over the last few years offshore wind industry has become a key contributor to the transformation of the world energy sources. This transformation is driven not only by the increased demand of energy coming from emerging countries but also by the increased awareness about climate change. To keep on developing this industry, offshore wind farms are now moving further from shore and into deeper water. In addition, to fight back against other energy sources, an outstanding effort is requested to the whole supply chain, including vessels serving this industry, to reduce costs. This paper will explain how the development of new technologies certainly helps to solve the complex equation that the offshore wind industry is facing today. In addition, this paper will describe how classification societies support these developments by providing a constructive regulatory scope to ensure that this innovative vessels can meet this challenge without compromising on safety and while reducing their environmental impact.


Author(s):  
Costas P. Pappis

In the previous chapter 3 the focus of the presentation has been on the implications of climate change, as felt globally, for the environment and human societies in developing as well as in developed countries. As noticed there, the Stern Review’s conclusion that “climate change will have increasingly severe impacts on people around the world, with a growing risk of abrupt and large-scale changes at higher temperatures” (Stern Review, 2006) is shared by most scientists and governments. The Review warns that “a warmer world with a more intense water cycle and rising sea levels will influence many key determinants of wealth and well-being, including water supply, food production, human health, availability of land, and the environment” (Stern Review, p. 84).


Author(s):  
Kijpokin Kasemsap

This chapter reveals the overview of sustainability; the overview of environmental sustainability; environmental sustainability and climate change; environmental sustainability, water resources, and energy consumption; and the overview of sustainable tourism. Sustainability is the important issue that attempts to bridge social science with civic engineering and environmental science with the technology of the future. Environmental sustainability is important because it ensures people have water and resources, and adopting its practices protects the environment and human health. Sustainable tourism is a growing segment of the global tourism industry that makes the positive contributions to the environmental, socio-cultural, and economic well-being of destinations and local communities around the world. Sustainability, environmental sustainability, and sustainable tourism are rooted in three issues that are considerably linked to fossil fuel depletion, climate change due to carbon dioxide emissions, and the increasing costs of energy and water.


2010 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 131-150 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katie Shilton

Mobile phones could become the largest surveillance system on the planet. These ubiquitous, networked devices can currently sense and upload data such as images, sound, location, and motion using on-board cameras, microphones, GPS, and accelerometers. And they can be triggered and controlled by billions of individuals around the world. But the emergent, wide-scale sensing systems that phones support pose a number of questions. Who will control the necessary infrastructure for data storage, analysis, sharing, and retention? And to what purposes will such systems be deployed? This paper explores whether these questions can be answered in ways that promote empowering surveillance: large-scale data collection used by individuals and communities to improve their quality of life and increase their power relative to corporations and governments. Researchers in academic and industry laboratories around the world are currently coordinating mobile phone networks for purposes that expand the definition of surveillance. Technology movements, variously called personal sensing, urban sensing or participatory sensing, have emerged within the areas of social computing and urban computing. These research programs endeavor to make ubiquitous devices such as phones a platform for coordinated investigation of human activity. Researchers are exploring ways to introduce these technologies into the public realm, a move that anticipates sensing by people across the world. This paper uses ethnographic data collected in a sensing development laboratory to illuminate possibilities that participatory sensing holds for equitable use, meaningful community participation, and empowerment. Analyzing the motivations and values embedded within the design process and resulting technologies reveals ways in which participatory sensing builds tools for empowering surveillance and responds to the many ethical challenges these new technologies raise.


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