| 1. |
- Abebe, Henok Girma, 1988-
(author)
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The Rationality and Moral Acceptability of Vision Zero Goal and Its Interventions
- 2021
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Licentiate thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- This licentiate thesis discusses moral issues associated with road safety work, with a particular emphasis on the Vision Zero (VZ) goal and its interventions. The licentiate thesis contains three articles and an introduction that briefly discusses issues and arguments presented in the articles.The first article, identifies, systematically categorizes and evaluates arguments against VZ. Moral, operational, and rationality related criticisms against the adoption and implementation of VZ are identified and discussed. The second article in this thesis seeks to reconcile the methods of Cost Benefit Analysis (CBA) and VZ in road safety decision making. CBA has been and still is a major decision making tool in road transport and traffic safety work. However, proponents of VZ question the use of CBA in road safety and transport decision making on methodological and ethical grounds. In this paper, we locate the philosophical roots of the conflicting views promoted by proponents of CBA and VZ. Then we try to identify ways through which the two methods can be made compatible.The third and final paper uses VZ as a normative framework to explore and analyse the Addis Ababa road safety work. The aim of the paper is twofold. First, the paper seeks to examine how road safety problems are actually understood by those responsible for road safety at the local level. To this end, government policy documents, reports and other relevant sources where consulted to identify how road safety problems are framed, who is assigned responsibility for addressing road safety problems and through what interventions. Second, the paper aims to examine road safety work in the city from a normative point of view, i.e., what is the best, or most adequate, way of framing the problem, and who should be given the responsibility for addressing the problem and by what measures. It is argued that enhancing road safety in the city requires adopting a broader view of causes of road safety problems, and emphasizing the responsibility of actors that shape the design and operation of the traffic system and the safety of its components.
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| 2. |
- Abebe, Henok Girma, 1988-
(author)
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Ethical Issues in the Adoption and Implementation of Vision Zero Policies in Road Safety
- 2023
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Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- The aim of this doctoral thesis is to analyze ethical issues in the adoption and implementation of Vision Zero policies. The first article analyses criticisms against Vision Zero goals and measures promoted to reach them. We identify and assess “moral”, “operational”, and “rationality-based” arguments against Vision Zero. In total, thirteen different criticisms are analyzed. The second article seeks to reconcile the two major decision-making principles in road safety work, i.e., Cost Benefit Analysis and Vision Zero, which are often viewed as incompatible. We argue that the two principles can be compatible if the implementation of Vision Zero accepts temporal compromises intended to promote efficient allocation of resources, and the results of Cost Benefit Analysis are viewed not as optimal and satisfactory as long as fatal and serious injuries continue occurring. The third article uses Vision Zero as a normative framework to explore and analyze road safety work in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The ensuing analysis shows that there are significant differences between Addis Ababa road safety policies and Vision Zero in terms of how road safety problems are understood and in their responsibility ascriptions for improving road safety problems. It is argued that enhancing road safety in the city requires promoting a broader view of the causes and remedies of road safety problems. Moreover, given the magnitude and severity of road safety problems in the city, it is vital to emphasize the moral responsibility of actors responsible for the design and operation of the road system, and entities that procure and own large number of vehicles. The fourth article analyses equity and social justice considerations in Vision Zero efforts in New York City (NYC). Moreover, this study seeks to understand and assess how the city accounts for equity and social justice implications of road safety work. The result of the study shows that equity and social justice considerations played important roles in the initial adoption of Vision Zero policy in the city. Nonetheless, the study also shows that the adoption and implementation process gave rise to important equity and social justice issues which are primarily related to the method of prioritization used in road safety work in the city, equity and fairness in the distribution of life saving interventions, the socioeconomic impacts of road safety strategies, and the nature of community engagement in policy design and implementation. The findings of this study, among others, point to a need for Vision Zero practitioners to give due considerations to equity and social justice implications of Vision Zero policies and strategies. The fifth article analyzes the nature and moral acceptability of risk impositions from car driving in a low-income country context. It is shown that car driving involves an unfair and morally problematic risk imposition in which some stakeholders, namely those who decide on the nature of the risk in the road system and benefit the most from car driving, impose a significant risk of harm on others, who neither benefit from the risk imposition nor have decision-making role related to the risks they are exposed to. It is argued that addressing moral problems arising from the unfair risk imposition necessitates the promotion, on the part of beneficiaries and decision makers, of certain types of moral obligations related to the nature and magnitude of road crash risks. Importantly, those who benefit the most from car driving, and actors who decide on the risk level in the road system, have the moral obligation to implement effective risk reducing measures that protect those unfairly risk exposed, obligations to know more about road crash risks, obligations to compensate victims, obligations to communicate with the risk exposed and incorporate their concerns in policy making, and obligations to bring about attitudinal change.
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| 3. |
- Edvardsson Björnberg, Karin, Docent, 1972-, et al.
(author)
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Faithful Stewards of God's Creation? : Swedish Evangelical Denominations and Climate Change
- 2022
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In: Religions. - : MDPI AG. - 2077-1444. ; 13:5, s. 465-
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Studies from the United States (U.S.) show that opposition to climate policy is strong among some Christian groups, especially White evangelical Protestants. Much of this opposition is channelled through organisations such as the Cornwall Alliance, which argue against climate measures on religious, economic and what they claim to be science-based grounds. In the present study, we investigated to what extent these convictions were present among Swedish evangelical denominations. Representatives from the Evangelical Free Church, the Pentecostal Alliance, the Swedish Alliance Mission, and the Seventh-day Adventist Church were interviewed to identify the denominations' views on the scientific underpinnings of climate change and the moral implications of climate policy. Our data show that the denominations' views differ markedly from those expressed by climate-oppositional evangelical groups in the U.S. The denominations held homogenous views on the legitimacy of climate science, expressed a clear biblical mandate for climate policy based on the notion of human stewardship, and believed that climate change was inextricably linked to poverty and, thus, had to be addressed. Our results point to the need for further studies on the factors behind acceptance and denial of climate science within and between faith-based and other communities in different countries.
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| 4. |
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| 5. |
- Karlsson, Mikael, Docent, et al.
(author)
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Ethics and biodiversity offsetting
- 2021
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In: Conservation Biology. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 0888-8892 .- 1523-1739. ; 35:2, s. 578-586
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Biodiversity offsetting is an increasingly applied tool aiming to compensate for environmental damage caused by exploitation projects. Critics, however, raise concerns over the purported effectiveness of offsetting and question the ethical underpinnings and implications of offsetting. These ethical dimensions have largely been overlooked in research, which may lead to offsetting systems that fail to respect the values intended to be safeguarded. To address these dimensions, 5 ethical objections in the scientific literature were identified: offsetting violates nature's intrinsic value; losses of nature cannot be compensated for by human interventions; too little is known to make adequate trades; offsetting impedes virtuous dispositions toward nature; and offsetting has negative justice implications. We examined these objections and arguments against them based on the ethical concepts of intrinsic and instrumental values, anthropocentrism, nonanthropocentrism, and deontological, consequentialist, and virtue-ethical paradigms. Both nonanthropocentric and anthropocentric concerns were expressed in deontological, consequential, and virtue-ethical framings. Objections mostly had a deontological or virtue-ethical basis, whereas counterarguments were based on consequential reasoning, but common ground in practice is often conceivable. Based on our findings, we formulated 10 recommendations for policy makers and 5 questions for practitioners to consider. We propose, for example, that policy makers clarify aims, legislate on no-go areas, and govern the use of multipliers. We suggest that practitioners consider, for instance, how to improve case-specific knowledge and promote learning and stakeholder engagement. We hope these recommendations and questions will encourage further discussion of the ethics of biodiversity offsets and ultimately strengthen the respect for biodiversity and human-welfare values at stake in offsetting projects.
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| 6. |
- Svenfelt, Åsa, PhD, Docent, 1968-, et al.
(author)
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Goal conflicts in adaptation to climate change
- 2011
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In: Moving Toward a Sustainable Future. - : Earth Institute, Colombia University. ; , s. 238-239
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Two fundamental policy approaches exist to reduce the environmental, economic, and social threats posed by climatechange: mitigation and adaptation. Adaptation has gradually received more attention in international policy discussions asscientists and decision makers have come to realise that changes in climate are unavoidable. Since emissions reductions willnot abate all negative climate change impacts, mitigation has to be combined with a process of adapting to those impacts.In decision-making processes concerning adaptation to climate change, there is often a choice between differentstrategies and measures. The choice of adaptation measure or strategy can have implications for other goals. In thecontext of climate change adaptation this means that a goal conflict arises when a measure that is taken by an agent(e.g., a local authority, county administrative board or county council) in response to actual or expected climate changeor effect, obstructs the achievement of some other goal that the agent has set. These goal conflicts constitute a majorpolicy challenge for decision makers involved in adaptation.So far, research on adaptation has dealt a lot with needed adaptation measures, but rarely analysis of what kind ofconflicts those measures could impose on other goals. The measures may even fuel climate change themselves and,hence, accelerate the need for further adaptation. To ensure the coherence of adaptation measures with other policygoals, there is a need for tools to assess and predict outcomes, but also to balance those outcomes and trade themoff in situations where they are not easily reunited. As goal conflicts (and the nature of those conflicts) are identified,strategies and tools for managing them can be developed.The purpose of this paper is to shed light on the existence of goal conflicts in the adaptation process, to provide examplesof goal conflicts related to adaptation measures concerning physical planning, and to propose and discuss strategies fordealing with these conflicts. The basis for the paper is an inventory of potential goal conflicts in Sweden’s climate changeadaptation process. We use the adaptation process in Sweden as empirical basis, but we make the assumption that theresults are sufficiently general to apply to other countries with similar socio-economic structure and climate.The paper is focused on measures and goal conflicts concerning physical planning and decisions taken at the localscale, mainly the municipal level. A desk-based review of adaptation measures were carried out, and analysed withregards to potential goal conflicts in relation to environmental goals, goals concerning human health, recreational goals,and social justice goals. Goal conflicts were identified based on literature studies combined with interviews with relevantstaff from national and local authorities and field experts.The adaptation measures that were analysed within the area of physical planning, mainly concerned protection of thebuilt environment against flooding, landslide and increased temperatures and protection against human health risks inthe built environment. There are close connections between the identified adaptation measures. Many of the adaptation measures that are taken to protect buildings and developments from the negative impacts of climate change are alsoadequate responses when it comes to mitigating harm to human health.The paper shows that, goal conflicts in adaptation are common phenomena.Sometimes, adaptation conflicts with mitigation efforts, such as when air-conditioning and other mechanical coolingsystems used to reduce heat-related mortality also increase carbon dioxide emissions. At other times, adaptation conflictswith goals concerning the preservation of natural and cultural values, such as when ski establishments are relocated to meetsnow deficits, resulting in biodiversity loss and damage to landscape integrity. Often, adaptation conflicts with some goalswhile at the same time benefits others, which makes choices concerning adaptation complex and difficult to manage.Obviously, goal conflicts in adaptation to climate change can be managed through many different types of strategies.If actions to mitigate climate change are intensified, and are successful in halting climate change, fewer adaptationmeasures will presumably need to be taken, which reduces the risk of conflict between adaptation goals and other policygoals. Another strategy is to focus adaptation policy on reducing the vulnerability in social and ecological systems bymaking them more resilience towards the effects of climate change. With resilience built into the systems, systems aremore designed and planned to withstand changes without collapsing, and the need for adaptation measures could also decrease and thereby conflicts between interests or goals.Conflicts also arise between the local authorities’ goals and the national authorities’ goals. Hence, integrating adaptation policies and measures between different agencies and sectors is an important means of identifying and avoiding or limiting potential goal conflicts between proposed adaptation measures and other policy goals. Because of the diverseinterrelationships that exist between different policy sectors today, adaptation strategies need to be developed in anintegrated fashion to be effective and sustainable.Some strategies are conflict-reducing in the sense that they reduce the need for (further) adaptation and, consequently,the risk of creating conflicts between the goal of adaptation and other policy goals. Other strategies are conflictidentifying in the sense that they help to detect actual or potential goal conflicts in present or planned adaptation work.These strategies are central to the goal conflict resolution process, since a first step in managing a goal conflict consistsin being aware that the conflict exists. Conflict-directing strategies constitute a third type of strategies; they tell thedecision maker how to act in situations where a goal conflict is present or foreseen.An important conclusion is that, by pro-actively working with goal conflicts at an early stage in the decision-makingprocess, governmental decision makers can play an important role in promoting sustainable adaptation at local andregional levels. The goal conflicts that exist in the context of climate adaptation make it clear that successful adaptationpolicy cannot be defined in terms of effectiveness, i.e., how well an adaptation measure, strategy, or policy succeeds insolving the problem that it is intended to solve. Before an adaptation measure is decided upon, the decision maker must also consider how appropriate the measure is, given her other policy goals.
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| 7. |
- Abebe, Henok Girma, 1988-, et al.
(author)
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Arguments against Vision Zero: A Literature Review
- 2022. - 1
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In: The Vision Zero Handbook. - Switzerland : Springer Nature. ; , s. 107-149
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Book chapter (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Despite Vision Zero’s moral appeal and its expansion throughout the world, it has been criticized on different grounds. This chapter is based on an extensive literature search for criticism of Vision Zero, using the bibliographic databases Philosopher’s Index, Web of Science, Science Direct, Scopus, Google Scholar, PubMed, and Phil Papers, and by following the references in the collected documents. Even if the primary emphasis was on Vision Zero in road traffic, our search also included documents criticizing Vision Zero policies in other safety areas, such as public health, the construction and mining industries, and workplaces in general. Based on the findings, we identify and systematically characterize and classify the major arguments that have been put forward against Vision Zero. The most important arguments against Vision Zero can be divided into three major categories: moral arguments, arguments concerning the (goalsetting) rationality of Vision Zero, and arguments aimed at the practical implementation of the goals. We also assess the arguments. Of the thirteen identified main arguments, six were found to be useful for a constructive discussion on safety improvements.
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| 8. |
- Abebe, Henok Girma, 1988-, et al.
(author)
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Equity and Social Justice considerations in road safety work: The case of Vision Zero in New York City
- 2024
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In: Transport Policy. - : Elsevier BV. - 0967-070X .- 1879-310X. ; 149, s. 11-20
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This paper analyses how Vision Zero (VZ) efforts in New York City (NYC) account for equity and social justice implications of road safety work. VZ policy documents, research literature, popular science and opinion articles on road safety work in the city were studied with a prime focus on equity and social justice. Twelve semi-structured interviews with stakeholders involved in road safety and transport planning in the city and at national level were conducted to gain an in-depth understanding of policy design, the adoption process, and the role of equity considerations in the city's road safety work. The results show that major equity and social justice issues arise in the adoption and implementation of VZ. These issues are primarily related to equity and fairness in the distribution of life saving interventions, the socio-economic impacts of road safety strategies, and the nature of community engagement in policy design and implementation. The findings point to a need for VZ practitioners to give due considerations to equity and social justice implications of VZ policies and strategies. Among others, it supports the need for understanding the nature of past equity and social justice problems in road safety and transport planning in the VZ policy design process. Moreover, the findings suggest the need for empirical studies on the socio-economic implications of VZ strategies and interventions.
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| 9. |
- Abebe, Henok Girma, 1988-, et al.
(author)
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Equity and Social Justice Considerations in Road Safety Work : The Case of Vision Zero in New York City
-
Other publication (other academic/artistic)abstract
- This paper analyses how Vision Zero (VZ) efforts in New York City (NYC) account for equity and social justice implications of road safety work. VZ policy documents, research literature, popular science and opinion articles on road safety work in the city were studied with a prime focus on equity and social justice. Twelve semi-structured interviews with stakeholders involved in road safety and transport planning in the city and at national level were conducted to gain an in-depth understanding of policy design, the adoption process, and the role of equity considerations in the city’s road safety work. The results show that major equity and social justice issues arise in the adoption and implementation of VZ. These issues are primarily related to equity and fairness in the distribution of life saving interventions, the socio-economic impacts of road safety strategies, and the nature of community engagement in policy design and implementation. The findings point to a need for VZ practitioners to give due consideration to equity and social justice implications of VZ policies and strategies. Among others, it supports the need for understanding the nature of past equity and social justice problems in road safety and transport planning in the VZ policy design process. Moreover, the findings suggest the need for empirical studies on the socio-economic implications of VZ strategies and interventions.
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| 10. |
- Baard, Patrik, 1981-
(author)
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Cautiously utopian goals : Philosophical analyses of climate change objectives and sustainability targets
- 2016
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Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- 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.
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