The miner and the activist : an Australian parable for our carbon constrained world

James Arvanitakis, Spike Boydell

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticle

    Abstract

    Discussions around carbon, need to acknowledge that carbon is a complex and fuzzy topic that has sociological, cultural, political, economic and environmental meanings and implications. Most debates and discussions around the issue, however, tend to prioritise one of these perspectives. As such, depending on where you stand, the metaphors and language used to discuss carbon varies significantly - from 'carbon-delusion' to 'carbon-addiction' - making communication seemingly impossible (Koteyko et al. 2010, 33). This is something that is neither surprising nor unexpected, but does result in discussions that work at cross-purposes. This is further complicated by the fact that carbon, like other types of 'property', is subject to changing and often competing demands (Quinn et al. 2010). This paper aims to review the meaning of carbon by applying five broad questions to this controversial substance: what is land; what is property; what is ownership; what is value; and what are property rights? By exploring each of these questions, we aim to show that a multidimensional and complex understanding is required for effective policy discussions to confront the challenge of global warming. In many ways then, this paper presents a challenge to Maine's (1861) 'bundle of rights' approach that was perpetuated by Quinn et al. (2010). In so doing, we aim to expand discussions regarding the political economy and ecology of property rights that a number of authors have raised in this journal (Bauer 2006; Pattberg 2007) as well as the broader property rights literature associated with natural resource governance (Grafton 2000; Ostrom 1990). We conclude by considering the implications of property rights for carbon for polluters, governments, us as individuals with a right to breathe clean air, as well as the global commons and other species.
    Original languageEnglish
    Number of pages9
    JournalJournal of Political Ecology
    Publication statusPublished - 2010

    Keywords

    • carbon
    • property rights
    • activists
    • miners
    • ownership
    • climatic changes

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