Climate Justice and the Extended Capabilities Approach: The Case of ‘Nature-Based’ Carbon Removal

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Abstract
Although concerns about large-scale implementation of Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) are well known, the ethical implications of ‘nature-based’ forms remain underexplored. Depending upon their implementation, these projects may benefit or harm local communities and biodiversity, risks that may be obscured by framing them as ‘natural’. We examine ‘nature-based’ CDR by contrasting three conceptions of the capabilities approach that may be extended to nonhumans. While two of these conceptions face justificatory challenges arising from widespread environmental pluralism, we build upon Amartya Sen’s conception to propose a deliberative model of climate justice. This model calls for participatory processes to determine which nonhuman entities are recognized as subjects of justice, ensuring that CDR decisions reflect the full range of environmental values at stake in each context.

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