Climate Change Action as Collective Action

Philosophers argue that climate change and shortfalls in climate change action result from problems of collective action. The biggest problem is the failure not to reach the commonly agreed goals of mitigation. This contribution explores problems of collective action and the related, so-called tragedy of the commons. Even though an analysis of the problems is important, the main part of this contribution focuses on a forward-looking way to address collective action. By taking the nature of climate action goals as collective goals seriously, and by introducing a theory of joint agency into the debate on climate action, a theory of joint climate action can be articulated. The main part of this chapter explores the constituents of such theory of joint climate action and its normative implications.