Geoengineering

Geoengineering (also known as climate engineering or climate intervention) is the deliberate large-scale interventions in the Earth’s climate system intended to counteract human-caused climate change.^[1] The term commonly encompasses two broad categories: large-scale carbon dioxide removal (CDR) and solar radiation modification (SRM). CDR involves techniques to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and is generally considered a form of climate change mitigation. SRM aims to reduce global warming by reflecting a small portion of sunlight (solar radiation) away from Earth and back into space. Although historically grouped together, these approaches differ substantially in mechanisms, timelines, and risk profiles, and are now typically discussed separately.^[2]^: 168^[3] Some other large-scale engineering proposals—such as interventions to slow the melting of polar and alpine ice—are also sometimes classified as forms of geoengineering.

Some types of climate engineering present political, social and ethical issues. One common objection is that focusing on these technologies could undermine efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Effective governance and international oversight are widely regarded as essential.

Major scientific organizations have examined the potential, risks, and governance needs of climate engineering, including the US National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine,^[4]^[5]^[6] the Royal Society,^[7] the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO),^[8] and the World Climate Research Programme.^[1]

^ ^a ^b World Climate Research Programme. "Research on Climate Intervention". www.wcrp-climate.org.
^ IPCC (2022) Chapter 1: Introduction and Framing in Climate Change 2022: Mitigation of Climate Change. Contribution of Working Group III to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom and New York, NY, USA
^ IPCC, 2021: Annex VII: Glossary [Matthews, J.B.R., V. Möller, R. van Diemen, J.S. Fuglestvedt, V. Masson-Delmotte, C. Méndez, S. Semenov, A. Reisinger (eds.)]. In Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [Masson-Delmotte, V., P. Zhai, A. Pirani, S.L. Connors, C. Péan, S. Berger, N. Caud, Y. Chen, L. Goldfarb, M.I. Gomis, M. Huang, K. Leitzell, E. Lonnoy, J.B.R. Matthews, T.K. Maycock, T. Waterfield, O. Yelekçi, R. Yu, and B. Zhou (eds.)]. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom and New York, NY, USA, pp. 2215–2256, doi:10.1017/9781009157896.022.
^ Policy Implications of Greenhouse Warming: Mitigation, Adaptation, and the Science Base. Washington, D.C.: National Academies Press. 1992-01-01. doi:10.17226/1605. ISBN 978-0-309-04386-1.
^ Climate Intervention: Carbon Dioxide Removal and Reliable Sequestration. Washington, D.C.: National Academies Press. 2015-06-17. doi:10.17226/18805. ISBN 978-0-309-30529-7.
^ Climate Intervention: Reflecting Sunlight to Cool Earth. Washington, D.C.: National Academies Press. 2015-06-23. doi:10.17226/18988. ISBN 978-0-309-31482-4.
^ Royal Society of London, ed. (2009). Geoengineering the climate: Science, governance and uncertainty. London. ISBN 978-0-85403-773-5.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
^ UNESCO World Commission on the Ethics of Scientific Knowledge and Technology (2023). "Report of the World Commission on the Ethics of Scientific Knowledge and Technology (COMEST) on the ethics of climate engineering". Retrieved 2024-03-09.

[:0-1] World Climate Research Programme. "Research on Climate Intervention". www.wcrp-climate.org.

[AR6_WGIII_Ch_1-2] IPCC (2022) Chapter 1: Introduction and Framing in Climate Change 2022: Mitigation of Climate Change. Contribution of Working Group III to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom and New York, NY, USA

[IPCC_AR6_WGI_Glossary-3] IPCC, 2021: Annex VII: Glossary [Matthews, J.B.R., V. Möller, R. van Diemen, J.S. Fuglestvedt, V. Masson-Delmotte, C. Méndez, S. Semenov, A. Reisinger (eds.)]. In Climate Change 2021: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [Masson-Delmotte, V., P. Zhai, A. Pirani, S.L. Connors, C. Péan, S. Berger, N. Caud, Y. Chen, L. Goldfarb, M.I. Gomis, M. Huang, K. Leitzell, E. Lonnoy, J.B.R. Matthews, T.K. Maycock, T. Waterfield, O. Yelekçi, R. Yu, and B. Zhou (eds.)]. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom and New York, NY, USA, pp. 2215–2256, doi:10.1017/9781009157896.022.

[4] Policy Implications of Greenhouse Warming: Mitigation, Adaptation, and the Science Base. Washington, D.C.: National Academies Press. 1992-01-01. doi:10.17226/1605. ISBN 978-0-309-04386-1.

[5] Climate Intervention: Carbon Dioxide Removal and Reliable Sequestration. Washington, D.C.: National Academies Press. 2015-06-17. doi:10.17226/18805. ISBN 978-0-309-30529-7.

[6] Climate Intervention: Reflecting Sunlight to Cool Earth. Washington, D.C.: National Academies Press. 2015-06-23. doi:10.17226/18988. ISBN 978-0-309-31482-4.

[RoyalSociety2009-7] Royal Society of London, ed. (2009). Geoengineering the climate: Science, governance and uncertainty. London. ISBN 978-0-85403-773-5.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)

[:1-8] UNESCO World Commission on the Ethics of Scientific Knowledge and Technology (2023). "Report of the World Commission on the Ethics of Scientific Knowledge and Technology (COMEST) on the ethics of climate engineering". Retrieved 2024-03-09.

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