KANT’S CATEGORICAL IMPERATIVE AND THE CHALLENGES OF CLIMATE CHANGE A CRITICAL ANALYSIS

SOURCE:

Faculty: Arts
Department: Department Of Philosophy

CONTRIBUTORS:

NNEJI,B. U;
OGUGUA, P;

ABSTRACT:

This work takes a look at the current challenges that humans are facing as a result of climate change. Such include losses of territorial integrity, sovereignty and right of self-determination. There are also losses of means provided by nature for sustaining life. There are border conflicts due to restricted movement across by climate displaced persons, and there is currently no available and adequate legislation internationally to protect such climate displaced victims as they are different from refugees and asylum seekers. In view of these, this work proffers a modified Kantian idea of world citizenship or cosmopolitanism undergirded by his categorical imperative as a major approach to the current challenges of climate change. The thesis of this work is derived from the following issues that beg for answers. Are we to stick to old concept of territorial sovereignty and the attached rights at the detriment of threatened loss of territory? Do climate displaced persons no longer have rights? Will they justifiably be neglected and rejected by others on the bases of territorial rights and sovereignty? We may reject migrants from politically induced crises areas because they can be assisted to resolve their home problems and go back but can we and what alternatives do we have in natural or anthropogenic climate induced permanent displacement? These are some of the major concerns addresses in this work. This work succeeded in establishing that the impact of climate change is extinction threatening. It also established that there are no existing international frameworks and conventions to take care of the entire situation. It also concluded that sticking to the current idea of sovereignty no longer holds water. It opined that there is need to redefine or fashion out a new way of appreciating human locations. It proffered certain solutions adapting after Kantian cosmopolitanism and categorical imperative. It concluded that there is need to redefine citizenship and conception of borders along cosmopolitan norms and that cosmopolitanism remains the best option so far.