The Ethics of Early Warning Systems for Climate Change - Reducing Disaster: Early Warning Systems for Climate Change - page 277

extreme weather can be offset 'when people have access to effective early warning
systems and basic protection' (Dara International 2010 ). Effective means by which
to convey information to potentially affected populations and providing the
resources necessary for them to take preventative action are therefore imperative.
Despite the destructive nature of extreme climate events, information is arguably the
fi rst and most necessary step to mitigate property destruction and loss of life.
In spite of this, early warning systems attract relatively little attention. From the
years 1999 to 2008, 'just 0.4 percent of total global offi cial development assistance'
was allocated to 'disaster prevention and preparedness' (Oxfarm America 2011 ).
This amount includes the creation and implementation of early warning systems. At
present, when impoverished regions are hit by natural disasters, developed nations
often devote tremendous resources to help alleviate suffering. As the occurrence of
natural disasters increases in both severity and frequency, as they are likely too,
already limited resources allocated to disaster relief will be stretched further still.
'Yet investments in [early warning systems] have the potential to lessen the need for
disaster response over time. As a consequence, resources for activities to reduce
disaster risk need to be signifi cantly bolstered, both by increasing those resources
directly and by shifting capacity from disaster response to preparedness' (ibid).
Populations have the right to information that may potentially save their lives, and
if we, the developed world, have access to information then we are morally obligated
to make that information available. For instance, imagine a scenario with two adjoin-
ing houses. A fi re starts in one of the houses and threatens to engulf both houses.
Only one of the occupants is aware of the fi re and is able to escape. Does this occu-
pant have a moral duty to warn the neighbour that their house may catch on fi re?
What if the neighbour does not have a smoke alarm to automatically indicate the
presence of smoke? One could argue that the occupant, insofar as it does not threaten
his life, absolutely does have a moral obligation to warn his neighbour about the
imminent threat of fi re. This same conclusion can readily be applied to the imple-
mentation of early warning systems. After all, there is moral similarity between the
two. One party possesses information that may potentially save the life of another
party; therefore, the party who possesses life-saving information has an obligation to
disseminate and share that knowledge. Indeed, the very logic behind smoke detectors
in the fi rst place illustrates the value of preparedness. If the same principle is applied
to disaster preparedness for extreme climate events, then the necessity of focusing
on disaster preparedness through comprehensive early warning systems is evident.

15.4 Can Environmental Ethics Strengthen

the Argument for EWS?

In its broadest sense, ethics is about striving for good and avoiding harm. Although
there is signifi cant variation on theory, application and the ordering of priorities,
ethics essentially explores questions of justice, equity and respect for autonomy
(can be viewed individually, collectively or even culturally). This is done through an