ethics of energy technologies dr. mark coeckelbergh (dept. of philosophy)
TRANSCRIPT
ETHICS OF ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES
DR. MARK COECKELBERGH
(DEPT. OF PHILOSOPHY)
Global problems related to energy:
Environmental problems / Sustainability
Climate change
Human Development /
Global Justice
Energy security / War & peace
GLOBAL ENERGY CHALLENGESAS ETHICAL CHALLENGES
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Use of fossil fuels causes
Pollution
Acid rain
Climate change
ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS
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Perceived as the major environmental issue of our time
What is happening…
Evidence includes continued ice-loss from glaciers
Changes in (other) ecosystems
CLIMATE CHANGE
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Consequences for environment, but also for economy, human lives
Dimensions: environmental, economic, health & safety, food production, security, …
Recommendation UNEP: Transform hydrocarbon based energy systems NOW!
CLIMATE CHANGE
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Peak oil: maximum rate of petroleum extraction is expected to decline soon (optimistic scenario)
SUSTAINABILITY
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Alternatives? Gas is not sustainable, nuclear energy also ethically problematic
Consensus that our current way of producing and using energy is not sustainable, and that we need to develop, and invest in, renewable energy sources (production) and improve energy efficiency (use)
Better technologies
Different behaviour, different lives
Make sure that our (current) use does not burden future generations: inter-generational justice
SUSTAINABILITY
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Energy not only central to sustainable development, but also to poverty reduction
Affects all aspects of development, including livelihoods, access to water, agricultural productivity, health, population levels, …
Aims (see also UNDP):
Access to energy
Quality of energy
Security of energy
Affordability of energy (problem of oil price after peak oil…)
Clean energy
HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
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How should (the benefits of) energy production and use be distributed across society and across the world?
How should the burdens of energy production and use be distributed?
North – South, West – East
Energy and goods produced in one part of the world, (health) risks in other part of the world
GLOBAL JUSTICE
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Problems
Depletion of oil and other non-renewable sources of energy
Energy needs of the West
Energy needs of poorer countries AND OF ADVANCING DEVELOPING COUNTRIES (e.g. China, India, Brazil – the so-called BRIC
countries)
Population growth
Accidents and natural disasters
Competition, political instability, geopolitics, war
Address energy concerns in a sustainable and peaceful manner
IEA (International Energy Agency): ‘the world is locking itself into an insecure, inefficient and high-carbon energy system’
ENERGY SECURITY
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Energy conflicts
wars
WAR & PEACE
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Survival
Better lives
Sustainability
Human development
Justice
Security
Peace
ENERGY & VALUES
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Take values into account in design of new technologies (see also Brey, van den Hoven, and others)
DESIGN & VALUES
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Threats
‘old’ energy technologies
Opportunities
Innovation
ENERGY & TECHNOLOGY
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Global context: competition, innovation wars: ‘green technology race’
ENERGY & TECHNOLOGY
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US energy secretary warns of 'Sputnik moment' in green technology raceSteven Chu says US must invest urgently in research and innovation to keep pace with China and other countries (Guardian)
Philosophers
Social scientists
Engineers & designers
Policy makers
Consumers / citizens
COLLABORATION
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CTIT research
projects on energy and sustainability
energy-efficiency via micro-CHP
energy pricing
optimalization of traffic-, transport and logistics processes
environmental monitoring via sensor networks
Philosophy
Ethics & technology
energy
EXAMPLE: CTIT RESEARCH + PHILOSOPHY
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EXAMPLE: SMART GRIDS
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Scientific methods
Other ways of thinking about the future
Imagining the future
fiction
EXAMPLE: SCENARIOS
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