To Kill Three Birds with One Stone —A Confucian Institutional Response to Climate and Other Challenges
Dr. Tongdong Bai | Fudan University (China)
The New Law Lounge | Tuesday, 24 March | 5:30pm doors for 5:45pm start
Among the multi-meanings of the Chinese philosophical conception of the unity of heaven and human, only the one inspired by the Lao Zi is related to environmentalism, but its ultimate solution is a dystopic state of small, isolated, and backward communities. Climate change also poses a “perfect storm” to democratic institutions, domestically and globally. I will argue that Confucianism, despite being anthropocentric, can offer theoretic justifications for the protection of the environment. More importantly, Confucianism-inspired domestic institutions (hybrid regime) and global governance (“New Tian Xia Order”) can offer institutional responses to climate challenges. Based on these Confucianism-inspired ideas, I will show how a state can take care of its own interests while helping peoples from troubled states through controlled migration, and this solution can avoid the exacerbation of climate change due to population boom.
Please join us after the lecture for some refreshments.
