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Baard, P. (2016). Cautiously utopian goals: Philosophical analyses of climate change objectives and sustainability targets. (Doctoral dissertation). Stockholm: KTH Royal Institute of Technology
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Cautiously utopian goals: Philosophical analyses of climate change objectives and sustainability targets
2016 (English)Doctoral thesis, comprehensive summary (Other academic)
Abstract [en]

In this thesis, the framework within which long-term goals are set and subsequently achieved or approached is analyzed. Sustainable development and climate change are areas in which goals have tobe set despite uncertainties. The analysis is divided into the normative motivations for setting such goals, what forms of goals could be set given the empirical and normative uncertainties, and how tomanage doubts regarding achievability or values after a goal has been set.

Paper I discusses a set of questions that moral theories intended to guide goal-setting should respond to. It is often claimed that existent normative theories provide only modest guidance regarding climate change, and consequently have to be revised or supplemented. Two such suggested revisions or supplements are analyzed in order to determine whether they provide such guidance.

Paper II applies the deep ecological framework to survey the extent to which it can be utilized to discuss issues concerning the management of climate change. It is suggested that the deep ecological framework can provide guidance by establishing a normative framework and an analysis of how the overarching values and principles can be specified to be relevant for actions.

Paper III is focused on normative political theory, and explicates the two dimensions of empirical and normative uncertainty. By applying recent discussions in normative political theory on ideal/non-ideal theory, political realism, and the relation between normative demands and empirical constraints,strategies for managing the proposed goals are suggested.

Paper IV suggests a form of goal that incorporates uncertainties. Cautious utopias allow greater uncertainty than realistic goals (goals that are known to be achievable or approachable, and desirable),but not to the same extent as utopian goals (goals wherein it is highly uncertain whether the goal can actually be achieved). Such goals have a performance-enhancing function. A definition and quality criteria for such goals are proposed.

Paper V considers whether a goal that is becoming all the more unlikely to be achievable should be reconsidered. The paper focuses on the two degrees Celsius target, and asks whether it could still be a sensible goal to aspire to. By applying the principle that ‘ought’ implies ‘can’, the role of such obligations is investigated.

Paper VI surveys how to treat circumstances in which an already set goal should be reconsidered and possibly revised, and what would evoke doubt in the belief upon which those goals have been set.Two situations are analyzed: (i) a problematic or surprising event occurs, upsetting confidence in one’s relevant beliefs, or (ii) respectable but dissenting views are voiced concerning one’s means and/or values. It is suggested that the validity of doubt has to be considered, in addition to the level in a goal-means hierarchy towards which doubt is raised.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Stockholm: KTH Royal Institute of Technology, 2016. p. 41
Series
Theses in philosophy from the Royal Institute of Technology, ISSN 1650-8831
Keywords
Sustainability; climate change; environmental philosophy; climate ethics; goals
National Category
Philosophy
Research subject
Philosophy
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-176856 (URN)978-91-7595-744-9 (ISBN)
Public defence
2016-01-07, F3, Lindstedtsvägen 26, KTH, Stockholm, 13:00 (English)
Opponent
Supervisors
Note

QC 20151204

Available from: 2015-12-04 Created: 2015-11-10 Last updated: 2022-06-23Bibliographically approved
Baard, P. (2016). Risk-Reducing Goals: Ideals and Abilities when Managing Complex Environmental Risks. Journal of Risk Research, 19(2)
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Risk-Reducing Goals: Ideals and Abilities when Managing Complex Environmental Risks
2016 (English)In: Journal of Risk Research, ISSN 1366-9877, E-ISSN 1466-4461, Vol. 19, no 2Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Social decision-making involving risks ideally results in obligations to avoid expected harms or keep them within acceptable limits. Ambitious goals aimed at avoiding or greatly reducing risks might not to be feasible, forcing the acceptance of higher degrees of risk (i.e., unrealistic levels of risk reduction are revised to comport with beliefs regarding abilities). In this paper, the philosophical principle ‘ought implies can’ is applied to the management of complex risks, exemplified by the risks associated with climate change. In its common interpretation, the principle states that we cannot expect an agent to perform something that lies beyond his or her abilities. However, it is here argued that this principle requires setting thresholds for legitimate claims of inabilities that justify the waiving of normative demands. This paper discuss three claims: (1) that caution is required before revising a risk-reducing goal that is perhaps exceedingly ambitious; (2) that claims on abilities are not only descriptive, but also value-laden; and (3) that the function of a goal has to be clarified before risk-reducing goals are revised. Risk-reducing goals that initially seem unrealistic arguably serve performance-enhancing purposes in risk management. Neglecting such goals could lead to choosing less desirable, but certainly feasible, risk-reducing goals.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Routledge, 2016
Keywords
risk, goal-setting, reconsidering goals, ‘ought implies can’, feasibility, environmental risk
National Category
Philosophy
Research subject
Philosophy
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-144915 (URN)10.1080/13669877.2014.961513 (DOI)000366684500003 ()2-s2.0-84907764446 (Scopus ID)
Note

QC 20160115

Available from: 2014-05-05 Created: 2014-05-05 Last updated: 2022-06-23Bibliographically approved
Baard, P. (2015). Adaptive Ideals and Aspirational Goals: The Utopian Ideals and Realist Constraints of Climate Change Adaptation. Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics, 28(4), 739-757
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Adaptive Ideals and Aspirational Goals: The Utopian Ideals and Realist Constraints of Climate Change Adaptation
2015 (English)In: Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics, ISSN 1187-7863, E-ISSN 1573-322X, Vol. 28, no 4, p. 739-757Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

There is a growing need to implement anticipatory climate change adaptation measures, particularly in vulnerable sectors, such as in agriculture. However, setting goals to adapt is wrought with several challenges. This paper discusses two sets of challenges to goals of anticipatory adaptation, of (1) empirical and (2) normative character. The first set of challenges concern issues such as the extent to which the climate will change, the local impacts of such changes, and available adaptive responses. In the second set of uncertainties are issues such as the distribution of burdens to enhance adaptive capacities in vulnerable agents with a legitimate claim to such resources, and what anticipatory adaptation ideally should result in. While previous discussions have been limited to either discuss the first or second set of uncertainties, this paper suggests that both dimensions should be considered when setting goals in social planning with long time frames. A taxonomy will be suggested that combines both dimensions. Furthermore, strategies for managing situations in which there are either empirical, or normative, uncertainties will be proposed which could be used in social decision-making with long planning time-frames in which goals must be set.

Keywords
Agriculture, Climate change adaptation, Goals, Realism, Utopia
National Category
Philosophy
Research subject
Philosophy
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-170180 (URN)10.1007/s10806-015-9557-8 (DOI)000358601500010 ()2-s2.0-84938420833 (Scopus ID)
Note

QC 20150827

Available from: 2015-06-28 Created: 2015-06-28 Last updated: 2022-06-23Bibliographically approved
Baard, P. & Edvardsson Björnberg, K. (2015). Cautious Utopias: Environmental goal-setting with long time frames. Ethics, Policy & Environment, 18(2), 187-201
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Cautious Utopias: Environmental goal-setting with long time frames
2015 (English)In: Ethics, Policy & Environment, ISSN 2155-0085, E-ISSN 2155-0093, Vol. 18, no 2, p. 187-201Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Sustainable development is a common goal in the public sector but may be difficult to implement due to epistemic uncertainties and required long time frames. This paper proposes that some of these problems can be solved by formulating cautious utopias, entailing a relationship between means and goals differing from both utopian and realistic goal-setting. Cautiously utopian goals are believed, but not certain, to be achievable and to remain desirable, but are open to future adjustments due to changing desires and/or factual circumstances. Quality criteria for such goals are suggested.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Routledge, 2015
Keywords
means-end relationship; planning; goal-setting; utopian goals; climate change; sustainable development
National Category
Philosophy
Research subject
Philosophy
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-144914 (URN)10.1080/21550085.2015.1070487 (DOI)000212140000006 ()2-s2.0-84938427229 (Scopus ID)
Note

QC 20150629. QC 20160212

Available from: 2014-05-05 Created: 2014-05-05 Last updated: 2024-03-15Bibliographically approved
Baard, P. (2015). Change of plans?: An environmental pragmatist view on reconsidering long-term goals. Environmental Philosophy, 12(2), 185-204
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Change of plans?: An environmental pragmatist view on reconsidering long-term goals
2015 (English)In: Environmental Philosophy, ISSN 1718-0198, Vol. 12, no 2, p. 185-204Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Sustainable ecosystem management often requires setting goals despite uncertainty regarding the achievability and desirability of the intended state of affairs. Coming to doubt the achievability or desirability of a previously set goal might sometimes, but not always, require reconsidering that goal. There is, however, a need to strike a balance between responsiveness to new information and knowing when to retain goals despite doubts. By critically engaging with adaptive ecosystem management (AEM), as advocated by environmental pragmatist Bryan G. Norton, criteria for warranted reconsideration of long-term goals are investigated. 

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Philosophy Documentation Center, 2015
National Category
Philosophy
Research subject
Philosophy
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-175993 (URN)10.5840/envirophil2015102624 (DOI)
Note

QC 20151029. QC 20160212

Available from: 2015-10-26 Created: 2015-10-26 Last updated: 2022-06-23Bibliographically approved
Baard, P. (2015). Managing climate change: A view from deep ecology. Ethics and the Environment, 20(1), 23-44
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Managing climate change: A view from deep ecology
2015 (English)In: Ethics and the Environment, ISSN 1085-6633, E-ISSN 1535-5306, Vol. 20, no 1, p. 23-44Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Despite the awareness that climate change is an increasingly urgent issue to manage, little is being done to adequately achieve mitigation targets and ambitions. It has been suggested that this is due to ill-equipped normative frameworks and that common concepts, such as responsibility, harm, and justice, collapse when applied to climate change. One perspective has however been missing from this debate – the deep ecological perspective. The paper will investigate the deep ecological view and will argue that it can provide a valuable contribution to normative issues pertaining to climate change.

National Category
Philosophy
Research subject
Philosophy
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-157833 (URN)10.2979/ethicsenviro.20.1.23 (DOI)2-s2.0-84932635150 (Scopus ID)
Note

QC 20150618

Available from: 2014-12-16 Created: 2014-12-16 Last updated: 2022-06-23Bibliographically approved
Baard, P. (2014). Sustainable Goals: Feasible Paths to Desirable Long-Term Futures. (Licentiate dissertation). Stockholm: KTH Royal Institute of Technology
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Sustainable Goals: Feasible Paths to Desirable Long-Term Futures
2014 (English)Licentiate thesis, comprehensive summary (Other academic)
Abstract [en]

The general aim of this licentiate thesis is to analyze the framework in which long-term goals are set and subsequently achieved. It is often claimed that goals should be realistic, meaning that they should be adjusted to known abilities. This thesis will argue that this might be very difficult in areas related to sustainable development and climate change adaptation, and that goals that are, to an acceptable degree, unrealistic, can have important functions.

Essay I discusses long-term goal setting. When there is a great temporal discrepancy between the point in time of setting and achieving a goal, many uncertainties have to be considered. The surrounding world and the agent’s abilities and values might change. This is an ontological uncertainty. We often form beliefs regarding how abilities and values might change, but this belief is always uncertain. This is an epistemological uncertainty. A form of goal called cautiously utopian goals is proposed, which incorporate such uncertainties, but enables goal setting with long time-frames.

Essay II discusses the issue of goals intended to reduce great risks. We cannot expect an agent to do something that lies beyond this agent’s abilities, as exemplified in the principle ‘ought implies can’. Adjusting goals to what we currently, with a high degree of certainty know could be done is difficult. If not including an estimation of how abilities can change, important performance-enhancing functions of goals might be lost. It is argued that very ambitious goals should be set. This is partly due to the great magnitude and likelihood of unwanted consequences and partly due to the difficulty of delineating what lies in agents’ capacity to manage complex risks.

Essay III discusses a decision-facilitating tool Sustainability Analysis to be used by Swedish municipal planners. One sub-part of the tool, Goal Conflict Analysis, can be used to identify how the consequences of a planned adaptation measure will affect other long-term municipal goals. Identified goal conflicts can then be used in order to determine whether the conflicts are acceptable, or whether a different adaptation measure should be worked out. The paper discusses a workshop in a Swedish municipality in which the tool has been tested.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Stockholm: KTH Royal Institute of Technology, 2014. p. 49
Series
Theses in philosophy from the Royal Institute of Technology, ISSN 1650-8831 ; 46
Keywords
goal setting, adaptation, sustainability, utopian goals, realistic goals
National Category
Philosophy
Research subject
Philosophy
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-144917 (URN)978-91-7595-079-2 (ISBN)
Presentation
2014-05-15, 1515, Teknikringen 74D, KTH, Stockholm, 13:00 (English)
Opponent
Supervisors
Note

QC 20140505

Available from: 2014-05-05 Created: 2014-05-05 Last updated: 2022-06-23Bibliographically approved
Baard, P., Vredin Johansson, M., Carlsen, H. & Edvardsson Björnberg, K. (2012). Scenarios and sustainability: tools for alleviating the gap between municipal means and responsibilities in adaptation planning. Local Environment: the International Journal of Justice and Sustainability, 17(6-7), 641-662
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Scenarios and sustainability: tools for alleviating the gap between municipal means and responsibilities in adaptation planning
2012 (English)In: Local Environment: the International Journal of Justice and Sustainability, ISSN 1354-9839, E-ISSN 1469-6711, Vol. 17, no 6-7, p. 641-662Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Adaptation to climate change often involves long-time frames and uncertainties over the consequences of chosen adaptation measures. In this study, two tools designed for assisting local decision-makers in adaptation planning were tested: socio-economic scenarios and sustainability analysis. The objective was to study whether these tools could be of practical relevance to Swedish municipalities and facilitate local-level climate change adaptation. We found that the municipal planners who participated in the testing generally considered the tools useful and of high relevance, but that more time was needed to use the tools than was provided during the test process.

Keywords
adaptation, climate change, cost-benefit analysis, goal conflict, socio-economic scenarios
National Category
Philosophy
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-75316 (URN)10.1080/13549839.2011.646969 (DOI)000212105700006 ()2-s2.0-84863915761 (Scopus ID)
Note

QC 20150629

Available from: 2012-02-05 Created: 2012-02-05 Last updated: 2024-03-15Bibliographically approved
Baard, P. (2011). Mill, miljö och hållbarhet. Tidskrift för politisk filosofi (3), 29-36
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Mill, miljö och hållbarhet
2011 (Swedish)In: Tidskrift för politisk filosofi, ISSN 1402-2710, E-ISSN 2002-3383, no 3, p. 29-36Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Stockholm: Thales, 2011
National Category
Philosophy
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-75323 (URN)
Note

QC 20120216

Available from: 2012-02-05 Created: 2012-02-05 Last updated: 2022-06-24Bibliographically approved
Baard, P. (2011). The Shape of Order at the Edge of Chaos [Review]. Ephemera : Theory and Politics in Organization, 11(4), 116-123
Open this publication in new window or tab >>The Shape of Order at the Edge of Chaos
2011 (English)In: Ephemera : Theory and Politics in Organization, ISSN 2052-1499, E-ISSN 1473-2866, Vol. 11, no 4, p. 116-123Article, book review (Other academic) Published
National Category
Philosophy
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-75326 (URN)
Note

Review of: Chesters, Graeme and Ian Welsh (2006) Complexity and Social Movements – Multitude(s) on the Edge of Chaos. New York: Routledge. (ISBN: 978-0-415-43974-9). QC 20120216. QC 20160314

Available from: 2012-02-05 Created: 2012-02-05 Last updated: 2022-06-24Bibliographically approved
Organisations
Identifiers
ORCID iD: ORCID iD iconorcid.org/0000-0003-2835-919X

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