Why equity is fundamental in climate change policy research

Klinsky, Sonja / Timmons Roberts / Saleemul Huq / Chukwumerije Okereke / Peter Newell / Peter Dauvergne / Karen O’Brien / Heike Schroeder / Petra Tschakert / Jennifer Clapp / Margaret Keck / Frank Biermann / Diana Liverman / Joyeeta Gupta / Atiq Rahman /
External Publications (2016)

Global Environmental Change 44, 170-173

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2016.08.002
Information

This article argues that it is fundamental for research on climate change policy to address equity for at least four reasons: (1) scholars have an obligation to provide rigorous work on human-wellbeing and in consideration of international law and human rights; (2) understandings of equity and justice are essential to political analysis; (3) equity concerns are not necessarily in tension with ambitious climate action; (4) understanding trade-offs between climate change policy and equity requires to consider equity concerns in the first place. Hence, equity must not be side-lined by researchers as a potential distraction from addressing climate change as such. Indeed, more equity research is essential to understand the dynamics of political claims, actions and trade-offs in climate change policy.