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Katelynn Sutton

12/12/18

Jana 1/3

Argument Essay Final

Before it’s Too Late

The impacts of climate change have become a living nightmare for many. We are

breaking historical records for high temperatures and sea levels. Communities worldwide are

suffering from drought and extreme weather conditions. Although these dire conditions are in

limited areas at the moment, it is likely that in the coming years, these conditions will be a reality

for everyone-- unless we change our ways. It is time we acknowledge the urgency of these

issues, how our actions impact them, and how we can change our habits to prevent further

damage to the Earth. Despite the efforts of individuals to change their habits, change on the

individual level will not be sufficient alone in solving climate change. In order to create change

quickly and effectively enough, more wide-scale change is necessary. If we apply egalitarian

logic to the issue of climate change, federal policy solutions, such as the Green New Deal, are

most effective.

Egalitarian ideas are highly prevalent throughout the concepts listed in the Green New

Deal. To interpret the effectiveness and morality of the Green New Deal, one must understand

the basic principle of egalitarianism. Egalitarianism is explained by the Harvard Philosophy

Encyclopedia as: “People should get the same, or be treated the same, or be treated as equals, in

some respect.” Egalitarianism is also defined by social responsibility which suggests that the

individual has a responsibility to a community or entity as a whole. Most egalitarians also

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believe that advantages and disadvantages are present in every society, and any harmful

advantages should be utilized in a way that benefits the common good. In contrast to other

philosophical ideologies, egalitarianism does provide less freedom at the cost of equality.

However, one of the principles of justice that egalitarianism relies on, the principle of equal

liberties, emphasizes the importance of everyone having the same basic freedoms that they are

entitled to, to prevent from the controlling of an individual to an immoral extent. As you will see,

egalitarianism is the moral basis on which the Green New Deal relies on.

The Green New Deal is formally defined as “a broad, yet specific set of policy goals and

investments that blend environmental sustainability and economic stability in ways that are both

just and equitable.” (The Nation, 2018). In short, this deal will help lower unemployment and

the harm to the environment through a wide range of federal policies. The Green New Deal rests

on these four goals: the economic bill of rights, a green transition, real financial reform, and a

functioning democracy (Green Party of the United States). However impossible these goals may

seem, there are many specific policies and implications to support and fulfill these ambitious

goals. There are many specific goals the Green New Deal hopes to accomplish, but some of the

most emphasized goals are as follows: “100% of national power generation from renewable

sources, decarbonizing the manufacturing, agricultural and other industries, and making a green

technology industry.” These goals are to make the United States, as a whole, more

environmentally friendly and efficient.

Although these policies may not seem purely egalitarian, there are key phrases and

policies that the Green New Deal discusses that classify it as an egalitarian solution to climate

change. In addition to environmental policy, there is also an aspect to the Green New Deal that
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seeks to lower unemployment and be conscientious of advantages and disadvantages in the

context of climate change and poverty. A congresswomen who backs the Green New Deal,

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, states on her website that the Green New Deal “shall recognize that a

national, industrial, economic mobilization is a historic opportunity to virtually eliminate poverty

in the United States and to make prosperity, wealth and economic security available to everyone

participating in the transformation.” This statement is clearly emphasizing the idea of

eliminating poverty and providing opportunities and wealth to ​everyone, n​ ot just the upper class.

It is also mentioned on Cortez’s page that the Green New Deal will “mitigate deeply entrenched

racial, regional and gender-based inequalities in income and wealth,” (Ocasio-Cortez, 2018).

This is a clearly egalitarian outlook, acknowledging advantages and disadvantages and finding

ways to mend the inequity. In conclusion, the Green New Deal is clearly written with an

egalitarian perspective in mind.

Many libertarians would say that the Green New Deal infringes on individual freedoms.

They might state that the individual should be able to decide how to address climate change and

that taking that decision away from them is immoral. Although the Green New Deal infringes on

individual rights, it should be considered ethical if looked at from a purely libertarian

perspective. If one identifies the basics values libertarians hold, one finds that the Green New

Deal is fully justified by libertarian values. Famous author and philosopher, Michael Sandel,

describes the basic value libertarians hold as follows: “If I own my body, my life, and my person,

I should be free to do whatever I want with them (provided I don’t harm others).” Libertarians

clearly do believe in self-ownership, but they also believe that the choices you make as an

individual should not hurt others. However, many choices that we make as an individual, such as
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driving cars that produce greenhouse gases, producing a large amount of waste, or using

non-renewable energy, do, in fact, harm others. The emissions we produce as individuals harm

the health and overall quality of life of others and contribute to the looming issue of global

climate change. A pure libertarian who is knowledgeable about how humans affect climate

change would justify the intervention of the federal government to prevent individuals from

abusing their individual liberty in a way that causes pain to others.

Clearly, the Green New deal is not only the most effective but the most egalitarian

solution to climate change. At the very root of the Green New Deal is creating federal policies

that take into account inequities and provide opportunities for those who are disadvantaged. It

fosters change in a direction that shifts us away from further harm to the climate and each other.

One cannot address climate change without addressing the systemic inequities in modern society.

Individuals changing is not enough. A government intervention needs to be enacted before it is

too late, before every single person, including the filthy rich, suffer the detrimental effects of

climate change.
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Works Cited

Arneson, Richard. “Egalitarianism.” Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Stanford University,

16 Aug. 2002, plato.stanford.edu/entries/egalitarianism/.

Carlock, Greg et al. “Green New Deal Report.” Data For Progress,

www.dataforprogress.org/green-new-deal/​.

“Climate Change & Sacrifice Zones.” Making Contact Radio, 4 Oct. 2018,

www.radioproject.org/2018/09/climate-change-sacrifice-zones-encore/​.

Green Party USA. “Green New Deal.” Www.gp.org, ​www.gp.org/green_new_deal

Siegel, Josh. “Senate Republicans Argue That Progressives' Green New Deal Would Be

Impossible and Unaffordable.” Washington Examiner, 11 Dec. 2018,

www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/energy/senate-republicans-argue-that-progressives

-green-new-deal-would-be-impossible-and-unaffordable​.