Recognizing Environmental Duties

This chapter examines the necessary and useful distinctions between perfect and imperfect duties. In this context, it introduces and examines propositions of (i) mutual dependence, (ii) the necessity of obtaining and applying knowledge of our environmental impacts, and (iii) the global environmental community. This chapter then examines the duty-based discourse criteria of O’Neill, but in the context of environmental considerations. This material is shown to be the basis of our environmental coalitions and their involvement in our “reasoned social discourse” and its resulting resolutions. This chapter also reviews the environmental applications of the Rawlsian criteria for “competent moral judges” and “considered moral judgments.” From these criteria, we compose the requirements for “fair and reasoned environmental discourse and decisions.”