Who is Responsible for Past Emissions?

As part of the ESRC seminar series' Climate Ethics and Climate Economics, David Weisbach (IUniversity of Chicago) will present a public lecture on Friday 15 June. David is Walter J. Blum Professor of Law at University of Chicago.

Who is Responsibile for Past Emissions?

Developed nations, most particularly the United States, are responsible for a large portion of past emissions of carbon dioxide in the simple sense that they were the ones who produced those emissions. This is true on an overall basis and even more true on a per capita basis. Responsibility in this causal sense, however, is not necessarily the same as responsibility in an ethical sense, such as having an obligation to right a wrong or having acted in a blameworthy fashion. This lecture will explore the connection between past emissions and responsibility: to what extent do past emissions create obligations regarding future climate policy? 

The lecture will be followed by a drinks reception.