Ethics & International Affairs Volume 27.4 (Winter 2013): "A Perfect Moral Storm: The Ethical Tragedy of Climate Change" by Stephen M. Gardiner

Jan 10, 2014

A Perfect Moral Storm: The Ethical Tragedy of Climate Change, Stephen M. Gardiner (New York: Oxford University Press, 2011), 495 pp., $35 cloth.

Review by Paul Wapner

Climate change is the most intractable environmental issue, and Stephen Gardiner has written extensively about it, especially from an ethical perspective. He recognizes that climate change is not merely a technical, economic, or political challenge but fundamentally a moral one. It comes about because people—especially the rich and powerful—are unwilling or unable to care about those on the receiving end of climate hardship. This insensitivity generates complacency, or at least confusion, about how to build institutions and shape widespread behavior in the service of climate protection. A Perfect Moral Storm is Gardiner’s most extensive and detailed statement to date on this theme.

To read this article in full, click here.

You may also like

AUG 6, 2025 Podcast

Living a Moral Life in a Catastrophic World, with Philosopher Travis Rieder

Moral philosopher Travis Rieder joins "Values & Interests" to explore how we might pursue ethical lives in an era of global crisis.

United States Capitol at sunrise. CREDIT: Andy Feliciotti/Unsplash.

AUG 5, 2025 Report

Illiberal Narratives and Shifting Values: Examining Competing Visions of the U.S. and its Role in the World

This report examines the rise of illiberal narratives and the recent dismantling of U.S. soft power institutions

JUN 17, 2025 Podcast

Empowerment, Ownership, & Agency: Building an Inclusive AI Future, with Jimena Viveros

Lawyer and AI expert Jimena Viveros explores why bridging the digital divide between the Global South and North is both a moral and economic imperative.

Not translated

This content has not yet been translated into your language. You can request a translation by clicking the button below.

Request Translation