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Geoengineering: Symmetric precaution
1Edward A. Parson is Dan and Rae Emmett Professor of Environmental Law and Faculty Director of the Emmett Institute on Climate Change and the Environment at the University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Science (New York, N.Y.)
|November 11, 2021
Summary
Solar geoengineering (SG) research faces controversy despite climate change urgency. Limited evidence fuels debate, and even research proposals encounter opposition rooted in concerns that reject evidence-based inquiry.
Area of Science:
- Climate Science
- Environmental Policy
- Geoengineering Research
Background:
- Growing urgency surrounding climate change is increasing attention on solar geoengineering (SG).
- Divergent views exist on the potential deployment and necessity of SG technologies.
- The current evidentiary basis for these divergent views on SG is notably thin.
Discussion:
- High-stakes decisions regarding SG are being made with limited scientific knowledge.
- Research into SG, despite its potential importance, faces significant opposition.
- Opponents' objections, while stemming from valid concerns, are often framed to preclude evidence-based research.
Key Insights:
- The debate surrounding solar geoengineering is characterized by a lack of robust evidence.
- Opposition to SG research is frequently based on axiomatic rejections rather than empirical findings.
- Addressing concerns about SG requires navigating a complex landscape of ethical, political, and scientific considerations.
Outlook:
- Further research is crucial to develop a stronger evidentiary basis for solar geoengineering discussions.
- Navigating the controversy requires transparent and evidence-based approaches to SG research and policy.
- Future discourse on SG must reconcile valid concerns with the need for scientific understanding.
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