An Aretaic Jurisprudence Approach to the Character of the Secretary-General of the United Nations as a Norm Entrepreneur to Save the Earth from the Adverse Impact of Climate Change

Abstract

In 2015, the Paris Agreement was adopted to strengthen the legal continuum to combat climate change. The Secretary-General as the chief administrative, world premier diplomat and norm entrepreneur of the UN has to diplomatically persuade all member States to ratify the international legal instruments. This research suggests that the Secretary-General must possess virtuous character in order to carry on the mandate of the UN Charter, especially as a norm entrepreneur to address the issue of climate change. Aretaic jurisprudence approach is used to interpret further the character that has to be possessed by the Secretary-General. Based on the Aristotelian virtues as the core philosophy of aretaic jurisprudence, the Secretary-General has to possess the virtues of courage and temperance. In the fight against climate change, a virtuous Secretary-General will play the pivotal role as a norm entrepreneur in inviting and persuading all member States to cooperate in unity.