In Defence of Historical Accountability for Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Abstract

The principle of historical accountability allocates the rights to emit greenhouse gas emissions according to the relative contribution of a country towards the accumulation of gases in the atmosphere. Implicitly it gives every man and woman an equal share of the global atmosphere, independent of place or time. Three reasons are put forward in favour of historical accountability as a just principle for a international allocation of emission rights. In addition, six arguments are given to refute objections against the basic validity of the principle as it has been dismissed by many and is resisted by developed country representatives and the institutions they dominate.

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