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Climate Change and Human Health Literature Portal Climate change, human health, and the post-cautionary principle

Climate Change and Human Health Literature Portal

Heinzerling L
2007
O'Neill Institute Papers. Research Paper No. 4
Georgetown University Law Center (Washington, DC)

In this Article, I suggest two different but related ways of reframing the public discourse on climate change. First, I propose that we move further in the direction of characterizing climate change as a public health threat and not only as an environmental threat. Second, I argue that we should stop thinking of responses to climate change in terms of the precautionary principle, which counsels action even in the absence of scientific consensus about a threat. We should speak instead in terms of a ?post-cautionary? principle for a post-cautionary world, in which some very bad effects of climate change are unavoidable and others are avoidable only if we take dramatic steps, and soon. These points are related insofar as they together create a moral imperative both to adapt to the changes we cannot prevent and to mitigate those we can. Without these efforts, people will fall ill and many will die, and we know now that this will occur. No fancy moral theory is required to condemn, and to make every attempt to avert, this large-scale knowing killing.

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Resource Description

    Air Pollution, Extreme Weather-Related Event or Disaster, Food Quality, Food Security, Glacier Melt/Snow Melt, Human Conflict/Displacement, Precipitation, Sea Level Rise, Solar Radiation, Temperature, Water Quality, Water Security
    • Air Pollution, Extreme Weather-Related Event or Disaster, Food Quality, Food Security, Glacier Melt/Snow Melt, Human Conflict/Displacement, Precipitation, Sea Level Rise, Solar Radiation, Temperature, Water Quality, Water Security: Allergens, Ground-Level Ozone
    • Air Pollution, Extreme Weather-Related Event or Disaster, Food Quality, Food Security, Glacier Melt/Snow Melt, Human Conflict/Displacement, Precipitation, Sea Level Rise, Solar Radiation, Temperature, Water Quality, Water Security: Drought, Flood, Hurricane
    • Air Pollution, Extreme Weather-Related Event or Disaster, Food Quality, Food Security, Glacier Melt/Snow Melt, Human Conflict/Displacement, Precipitation, Sea Level Rise, Solar Radiation, Temperature, Water Quality, Water Security: Nutritional quality
    • Air Pollution, Extreme Weather-Related Event or Disaster, Food Quality, Food Security, Glacier Melt/Snow Melt, Human Conflict/Displacement, Precipitation, Sea Level Rise, Solar Radiation, Temperature, Water Quality, Water Security: Availability/Distribution, Crop/Plant Food Security, Marine/Freshwater Food Security
    • Air Pollution, Extreme Weather-Related Event or Disaster, Food Quality, Food Security, Glacier Melt/Snow Melt, Human Conflict/Displacement, Precipitation, Sea Level Rise, Solar Radiation, Temperature, Water Quality, Water Security: Heat, Variability
    • Air Pollution, Extreme Weather-Related Event or Disaster, Food Quality, Food Security, Glacier Melt/Snow Melt, Human Conflict/Displacement, Precipitation, Sea Level Rise, Solar Radiation, Temperature, Water Quality, Water Security: Marine/Freshwater Pathogen, Other Water Quality, Specify
      • Marine/Freshwater Pathogen, Other Water Quality, Specify: Water temperatures
      Water quality issue (other)
    General Geographic Feature
    Global or Unspecified Location
    Cancer, Cardiovascular Impact, Infectious Disease, Morbidity/Mortality, Respiratory Impact
    • Cancer, Cardiovascular Impact, Infectious Disease, Morbidity/Mortality, Respiratory Impact: Vectorborne Disease, Waterborne Disease
      • Vectorborne Disease, Waterborne Disease: Mosquito-borne Disease
        • Mosquito-borne Disease: Malaria
        Mosquito-borne Disease
      • Vectorborne Disease, Waterborne Disease: Cholera (waterborne), Diarrheal Disease, Unspecified
      Vectorborne DiseaseWaterborne Disease
    • Cancer, Cardiovascular Impact, Infectious Disease, Morbidity/Mortality, Respiratory Impact: Upper Respiratory Allergy
    Exposure Change Prediction
    Long-Term (>10 years)
    Commentary/Opinion, Research Article
    Adaptation, Climate Justice/Climate Equity, Communication, Mitigation , Sociodemographic Vulnerability, Vulnerable Population
    • Adaptation, Climate Justice/Climate Equity, Communication, Mitigation , Sociodemographic Vulnerability, Vulnerable Population: Adaptation Co-Benefit/Co-Harm
    • Adaptation, Climate Justice/Climate Equity, Communication, Mitigation , Sociodemographic Vulnerability, Vulnerable Population: General Public/Unspecified, Policymaker
    • Adaptation, Climate Justice/Climate Equity, Communication, Mitigation , Sociodemographic Vulnerability, Vulnerable Population: Mitigation Co-Benefit/Co-Harm
    • Adaptation, Climate Justice/Climate Equity, Communication, Mitigation , Sociodemographic Vulnerability, Vulnerable Population: Low Socioeconomic Status
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