A utilitarian notion of responsibility for sustainability
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A utilitarian notion of responsibility for sustainability. / Fünfgelt, Joachim; Baumgärtner, Stefan.
Lüneburg : Institut für Volkswirtschaftslehre der Universität Lüneburg, 2012. (Working Paper Series in Economics; Nr. 234).Publikation: Arbeits- oder Diskussionspapiere und Berichte › Arbeits- oder Diskussionspapiere
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TY - UNPB
T1 - A utilitarian notion of responsibility for sustainability
AU - Fünfgelt, Joachim
AU - Baumgärtner, Stefan
PY - 2012
Y1 - 2012
N2 - We develop and formalize a utilitarian notion of responsibility for sustainability which is inspired by Singer's (1972) principle and the Brundtland Commission?s notion of sustainability (WCED 1987). We relate this notion of responsibility to established criteria for the assessment of intertemporal societal choice, namely Pareto-efficiency, (discounted) utilitarian welfare maximization, and Brundtland-sustainability. Using a two-generationsresource- model, we find the following. Sustainability and responsibility for sustainability are equivalent if and only if sustainability is feasible. If it is not, there still exists a responsible allocation which is also Pareto-efficient. Further, the utilitarian welfare maximum without discounting always fulfills the criterion of responsibility. Discounting may be responsible to a certain extent if sustainability is feasible. If sustainability is not feasible, discounting is not responsible.
AB - We develop and formalize a utilitarian notion of responsibility for sustainability which is inspired by Singer's (1972) principle and the Brundtland Commission?s notion of sustainability (WCED 1987). We relate this notion of responsibility to established criteria for the assessment of intertemporal societal choice, namely Pareto-efficiency, (discounted) utilitarian welfare maximization, and Brundtland-sustainability. Using a two-generationsresource- model, we find the following. Sustainability and responsibility for sustainability are equivalent if and only if sustainability is feasible. If it is not, there still exists a responsible allocation which is also Pareto-efficient. Further, the utilitarian welfare maximum without discounting always fulfills the criterion of responsibility. Discounting may be responsible to a certain extent if sustainability is feasible. If sustainability is not feasible, discounting is not responsible.
KW - Sustainability Science
KW - basic needs
KW - Brundtland
KW - discounting
KW - ethics
KW - natural resources
KW - Pareto efficiency
KW - responsibility
KW - Singer
KW - sustainability
KW - utilitarianism
KW - basic needs
KW - Brundtland
KW - discounting
KW - ethics
KW - natural resources
KW - Pareto efficiency
KW - responsibility
KW - Singer
KW - sustainability
KW - utilitarianism
KW - Economics
KW - basic needs
KW - Brundtland
KW - discounting
KW - ethics
KW - natural resources
KW - Pareto efficiency
KW - responsibility
KW - Singer
KW - sustainability
KW - utilitarianism
M3 - Working papers
T3 - Working Paper Series in Economics
BT - A utilitarian notion of responsibility for sustainability
PB - Institut für Volkswirtschaftslehre der Universität Lüneburg
CY - Lüneburg
ER -