The Ethical Dimensions of Climate Change: Rethinking Justice, Responsibility, and Collective Obligation

ABSTRACT Climate change is one of the most profound ethical and existential challenges of the 21st century. Beyond its physical, economic, and environmental consequences, it raises fundamental moral questions about justice, equity, responsibility, and the right to a livable planet. This study provides a comprehensive review of literature published between 1990 and 2025 to examine how ethical reasoning and moral frameworks have shaped global, national, and local responses to the climate crisis. Drawing on 150 peer‐reviewed articles, books, and policy documents, the analysis identifies five major ethical domains: the conceptual foundations of climate ethics, global climate justice, intergenerational and intragenerational ethics, ecological ethics, and ethical governance. Together, these domains show that climate change is not merely a technical or policy problem, but a moral test of humanity's capacity for fairness, solidarity, and stewardship. The review demonstrates that principles such as harm prevention, precaution, equity, solidarity, and responsibility increasingly inform climate policy and governance, shaping efforts to align climate action with human rights and sustainable development. It further shows that embedding ethics in climate governance through equitable finance, inclusive participation, and intergenerational accountability can strengthen both the legitimacy and the effectiveness of climate responses. Ultimately, viewing climate change through an ethical lens reframes it as a collective moral obligation to protect both people and planet, while advancing justice across generations, communities, and forms of life.