Format/Structure

Four paper presentations followed by an open discussion.

Long Abstract

Keeping global warming below 1.5 (or even 2) degrees celcius is simply impossible unless substantial portions of existing coal, gas, and oil reserves are permanently left under ground. Doing so would require the resolution of several interconnected problems. How can societal consensus be reached in nation-states rich in hydrocarbon resources to establish a permanent ban on extraction? How can the needs and interests of marginalized communities - such as indigenous peoples - be reflected in how such policies are designed and operationalised? Which resource owners - if not all - are to be compensated for forgoing future earnings from extracting hydrocarbon reserves? How can the gargantuan financial resources needed for such compensation raised and disbursed in a fair and efficient manner? And finally, what are the implications of the successful implementation of unburnable fuels on groups and communities whose livelihoods are intimately linked to hydrocarbon extraction today? These questions all have complex environmental justice implications that needs to be analysed at different geographic, political and temporal scales. The complexity of achieving environmental justice is further complicated by the urgency of the need to enact policies that can leave fossil fuels underground.

This Panel has 2 pending paper proposals.
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