Section 1: Introduction
The recent past has experienced a surge in human population levels. This translates to an upturn in production activities to sustain the population’s needs. This increasing activity results from pressure on natural resources, explicitly trapping gaseous emissions in the atmosphere, leading to a warming effect. This phenomenon is known as Global warming. Common gases that get trapped include methane (, carbon IV oxide , and nitrous oxides and they get released to the atmosphere through human activities such as burning fossil fuels, deforestation, and agriculture. The direct consequence of the increase in temperatures is a rise in sea levels, frequent and adverse weather conditions, and loss of biodiversity (Al-Ghussain, 2019).
The main issues arising from gaseous emissions significantly affect the natural environment. Ocean acidification is one of the main issues. Higher absorption rates of CO2 lead to a proportionally high level of acidity in ocean waters which tends to harm marine life, especially organisms with calcium carbonate shells like corals, mollusks, and some plankton (Kawahata et al., 2019). Secondly, not considering oceans, the gaseous emissions would eventually lead to ecosystem changes. Considering the case of oceans, as discussed above, some individuals may be forced to migrate in search of more conducive living. This tends to disrupt the natural habitat conditions and put some organisms at risk of extinction. Finally, global warming affects water resources, agriculture, and food security. Human sustenance heavily depends on agriculture and the availability of water. Changes in precipitation patterns and melting glaciers and snowpacks impact water availability in different regions, leading to potential water scarcity and conflicts over water resources. This can affect crop yields, disrupt agricultural patterns, and impact food production and availability, posing risks to food security (Hoegh-Guldberg et al., 2018).
In recent times, rising emissions of these gases have been a reason for global concern based on the environmental and human welfare effects. To mitigate the escalating environmental impacts of this phenomenon, governments, scientists, activists, and policymakers, among other professionals, are currently making joint efforts to promote sustainability and limit the global effects. One example of a significant step in the legislative approach toward the effects of global warming is the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling on November 15, 2007 (CENTER for BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY, 2007). under the legislation, there arises a dilemma over the economic impact of limitation of tailpipe emission of the gases responsible for global warming in contrast to the environmental impacts. The US Court of Appeals turned down a ruling by the Bush administration regarding carbon IV oxide emissions by sports cars and SUVs. The ruling also impacted the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration’s guidelines for controlling fuel efficiency standards.
Section 2: case analysis and discussion
Case Analysis
The ruling in question is a critical case study regarding the dilemma of engineering ethics versus environmental matters. Some of the primary considerations of the case highlight this sentiment. One of the major concerns in the ruling is inadequate consideration of the economic impacts of global warming. Herein, the court found the regulations inefficient in accounting for the economic impacts of tailpipe emissions on climate change. Similarly, the court stated that the standard was biased since the regulations were stricter for passenger cars than for light trucks. This raised concerns about the fairness and effectiveness of the regulations.
Further, the court highlighted the need for the regulations to consider the overall impact of greenhouse emissions. The creators of the legislation should have borne in mind the cumulative contribution of SUVs and light trucks to climate change. Finally, the court faulted the legislation for what it termed as undervaluation of benefits and overvaluation of costs. This implies that the court believed the regulations did not adequately weigh the potential benefits of reducing greenhouse gas emissions against the costs of implementing stricter standards (Justia, 2007).
From the last point of undervaluation of benefits and overvaluation of costs, one prominent proponent is Judge Betty Binns Fletcher. Her reasoning revolved around quantifying the environmental effects of carbon IV oxide and other heat-trapping gas emissions on the environment before embarking on the process of regulation formation (Stanford School of Law, 2013). Some of the key considerations under this would be climate change and global warming, sustainable development and the welfare of future generations, public health and safety, and legal and regulatory obligations. The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and other environmental laws require federal agencies to consider the environmental impacts of their actions and decisions. In this case, as a federal agency, the NHTSA was obligated to assess the environmental consequences of fuel economy standards for light trucks and SUVs under NEPA.
Case implication on engineering ethics
Climate change is increasingly becoming an issue of global concern. This translates to engineers across multiple disciplines, such as the automotive, chemical, and energy sectors having to make joint efforts to make joint effects to mitigate the effects for a more sustainable future. Engineers in the sector are tasked with prioritizing environmental concerns when deciding vehicle design. Ethical engineers should strive to minimize greenhouse gas emissions, promote energy efficiency, and prioritize sustainable solutions to reduce their products’ environmental footprint. However, while environmental concerns are significant, the engineers are also tasked with consideration of the economic impacts of their decisions. Transitioning to cleaner technologies with less carbon emissions presents initial high overhead costs. Therefore, These individuals need to be practical and work towards balancing environmental goals and economic viability. Through such endeavors, transparency and full disclosure of the considerations would be necessary. Providing accurate information to consumers allows them to make informed choices and contribute to sustainability efforts.
One of the most crucial effects of global warming is on public health and safety. It increases the risks of heat-related illnesses, respiratory problems due to air pollution, and other health impacts. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions can help mitigate these adverse effects on human health. Engineers have an ethical responsibility to consider their designs’ public health and safety implications.
Finally, engineers must be at the forefront in pushing for innovation and further research into cleaner energy and alternative sources. Electric-powered or renewable energy-powered vehicles are a viable alternative to the current options. However, these are still under study. Another example of a technology that can be inculcated in design is life cycle analysis (LCA) (Zhang et al., 2017). Herein, the engineers should consider the vehicle’s entire life cycle, from raw material production to disposal. Reducing emissions should not solely focus on tailpipe emissions but also consider the emissions produced during the vehicle’s manufacturing and end-of-life stages. As a consideration for ethical practice, these professionals should focus on full disclosure and adherence to sustainability standards such as the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (Bexell & Jönsson, 2017). Through all these, there will be a significant reduction in the effects of greenhouse gas emissions.
Through a review of the Ninth Circuit case, engineers should be given priority in setting standards and regulations regarding climate change and emissions. First, these professionals can empirically study the issue, thus quantifying the impacts through standard techniques such as the LCA analysis. This is important since the legislation is based on hard facts rather than approximations which may be biased and dependent only on the end-product effect. Using such standard measures, the engineers would devise cost-effective solutions to the menace with a practical approach. Regulations and standards must be technically feasible and economically viable to be successful. Engineers would highlight the practical challenges and possibilities of implementing specific measures, ensuring that regulations are workable in the real world. Finally, climate change and emissions are a complex and interconnected field. This calls for the need to have trained professionals in systems thinking. This knowledge enables engineers to consider various regulations’ inter-dependencies and unintended consequences and propose holistic solutions. Therefore, engineers must work with other stakeholders from fields like industry, government, and civil society in legislation.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals’ ruling 2007 signaled a shift in the legal system’s recognition of the importance of addressing climate change concerns. This is an essential step in recognizing the role of engineers in regulating greenhouse gas emissions. Despite the focus of the case being on emissions from vehicles, it can be extended to other areas of engineering which have the same impact and need regulation. Engineers now have a broader range of duties, necessitating their active involvement in creating greenhouse effect mitigation strategies. Engineers can play a crucial part in determining a more sustainable and resilient future for our world by adopting sustainable design principles, campaigning for stronger laws, and offering their technical skills to combat climate change.
References
Al‐Ghussain, L. (2019). Global warming: review on driving forces and mitigation. Environmental Progress & Sustainable Energy, 38(1), 13-21.
Bexell, M., & Jönsson, K. (2017, January). Responsibility and the United Nations’ sustainable development goals. In Forum for development studies (Vol. 44, No. 1, pp. 13-29). Routledge.
CENTER for BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY. (2007). Federal Court Finds Bush Administration Violated Law by Ignoring Global Warming in Setting National Gas-Mileage Standards. Www.biologicaldiversity.org. https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/news/press_releases/cafe-11-15-2007.html
Hoegh-Guldberg, O., Jacob, D., Bindi, M., Brown, S., Camilloni, I., Diedhiou, A., … & Zougmoré, R. B. (2018). Impacts of 1.5 C global warming on natural and human systems. Global warming of 1.5° C.
Kawahata, H., Fujita, K., Iguchi, A., Inoue, M., Iwasaki, S., Kuroyanagi, A., … & Suzuki, A. (2019). Perspective on the response of marine calcifies to global warming and ocean acidification—Behavior of corals and foraminifera in a high CO2 world “hot house.” Progress in Earth and Planetary Science, 6(1), 1-37.
Stanford School of Law. (2013). Federal Court Finds Bush Administration Violated Law by Ignoring Global Warming in Setting National Gas Mileage Standards, Rejects Loophole for Trucks and SUVs. Stanford Law School. https://law.stanford.edu/press/federal-court-finds-bush-administration-violated-law-by-ignoring-global-warming-in-setting-national-gas-mileage-standards-rejects-loophole-for-trucks-and-suvs/
Zhang, X., Bauer, C., Mutel, C. L., & Volkart, K. (2017). Life Cycle Assessment of Power-to-Gas: Approaches, system variations, and environmental implications. Applied Energy, 190, 326-338.
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