Animal ethics in the climate change debates
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62486/agmu2025205Keywords:
Climate change, animal ethics, IPCC, public policy, anthropocentrismAbstract
Introduction: The article examined the lack of inclusion of nonhuman animals in international climate change reports and public policies, especially in bodies such as the IPCC and UNFCCC. Despite recognizing the contribution of extensive livestock farming to greenhouse gas emissions, these institutions omitted interspecies ethical considerations in their mitigation strategies. The research raised the need to debate the role of nonhuman animals in environmental policies and proposed an animal ethics approach for their integration.
Development: The analysis of the IPCC and UNFCCC reports evidenced an anthropocentric bias in the design of climate policies, prioritizing exclusively human welfare. It was argued that this reductionist view has made invisible the moral relevance of animals and their role in the climate crisis. In addition, five possible explanations for their exclusion were discussed, including the lack of political representation of animals and the perception that their welfare is indirectly addressed through biodiversity protection.
Conclusions: It was concluded that it is urgent to reformulate the debate on climate change from an interspecies ethical perspective. Including animals as political subjects in public policies would make it possible to move towards a more holistic and sustainable approach. Finally, it was proposed the adoption of regulatory frameworks that guarantee the protection of animal interests, recognizing them as individuals with rights within the global climate agenda.
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