Empathy as an ethical principle for environmental health

Environmental health ethics is a relatively young field of study, drawing on experience from medical ethics, public health ethics, and the ethics of radiological protection. Fundamental to all of these in one way or another are the four "principles of biomedical ethics", originally proposed by Beauchamp and Childress (1979) as a guide for decision making in clinical practice. Suggestions have been made of various other principles which should be added to address the specifics of the individual disciplines under consideration. Here we are exploring empathy as a principle complementing those hitherto applied in environmental health practice.

Empathy can be defined as the "capability (or disposition) to immerse oneself in and to reflect upon the experiences, perspectives and contexts of others". It is often understood as a skill that one either has or has not, but research has shown it can be taught and therefore can be required as an attitude of those working in health care, education, design, and even politics. We suggest to consider it a procedural principle on a par with inclusiveness, accountability, and transparency. It should drive the assessment of any environmental situation and the health problems accruing from it.