The justification of nonviolent civil disobedience to combat global climate change

John’s talk will be based upon a recent paper in Ethics in Science and Environmental Politics (Lemons, J. and D. A. Brown. 2011. Global climate change and non-violent civil disobedience. Ethics in Science and Environmental Politics 11:3-12), which is available for download at: http://www.int-res.com/articles/esep2011/11/e011p003.pdf

ABSTRACT:  Despite knowledge of the risks of global climate change during the past 30 yr, the USA, among other nations, has failed to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions to reduce the risks to present and future generations. This is despite the fact that scientific and ethical literature makes the case that meaningful action is urgent. Consequently, we suggest that climate and environmental scientists, among others, consider whether non-violence civil disobedience should be used as a means to promote action on global climate change.

ABOUT JOHN LEMONS
John Lemons has a university teaching and research career that spans over 35 years. He is a professor emeritus of the University of New England in Maine. John received his Ph.D in zoology and physiology from the University of Wyoming in 1975. He has published over 120 peer-reviewed articles; eight books; served as the Editor-in-Chief for The Environmental Professional, the official journal of the National Association of Environmental Professionals; and served as environmental science book series editor for Blackwell Science, Inc. John’s writings have focused on the integration of science and public policy, global climate change; biodiversity, high-level nuclear waster, national park management, and environmental ethics. John also has extensive involvement in international research, especially in developing nations. Among other awards, John is an elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science for his contributions to science and public policy.