Abstract
This paper first examines the extent to which individuals feel responsible for addressing climate change. It next provides an overview of the factors undermining responsibility. Such factors include the efforts of the fossil fuel industry and its allies to deny climate change, the political division surrounding climate change, a range of structural and social constraints, certain features of climate change, and selected individual values and traits. The core part of the paper then asks whether the responsibility for addressing climate change will increase as the effects of climate change become more common and severe. While there is some reason to believe this will happen, it is argued that the immediate effects of climate change, such as extreme weather events, migration, and social conflict, may divert attention from addressing the root causes of climate change and reduce the ability to do so.
Type of Issue
Special issue
Recommended Citation
Agnew, Robert and Agnew, Jennifer
(2026)
"Undermining the Responsibility for Climate Change: An Overview and Forecast,"
International Journal on Responsibility: Vol. 9:
Iss.
1, Article 4.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.62365/2576-0955.1154
Available at:
https://commons.lib.jmu.edu/ijr/vol9/iss1/4
DOI
10.62365/2576-0955.1154
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License.
