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New ethics framework on climate engineering

A global association of Earth and space scientists has launched an ethical framework aimed at guiding geo-engineering research, funding, and policies.

The American Geophysical Union (AGU) says that the document is a response to pressure to use large-scale interventions in Earth’s climate system to help combat climate change.

Its report, Ethical Framework Principles for Climate Intervention Research, says that any research into such projects must be grounded in sound ethical principles so society can make informed choices about whether to deploy them. 

Consequences

It warns that the unintended consequences of large-scale climate engineering are largely unknown.

“As pressure grows to supplement emissions reductions with active, large-scale intervention in Earth’s climate system, we must ensure that research is done in ways that are inclusive, representative, and just, carefully considering risks and benefits,” said AGU president Lisa Graumlich.

The report seeks to set out a set of globally recognised ethical principles to guide research, funding, and policy proposals.

Precedents

The AGU says that it draws on precedents developed to guide research in other emerging fields with unknown consequences – including ethical practices for biomedical research and genetic engineering.

Climate intervention technologies and methods include:

• Carbon-dioxide removal, which aims to remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere and store them, using approaches such as reforestation or increasing the ocean’s capacity to absorb carbon,
• Solar radiation modification, which aims to reduce the amount of solar radiation absorbed by Earth, and
• Emerging technologies and research – including those aiming to preserve ice sheets and restore sea ice and permafrost.

The AGU framework proposes that all new research plans, funding decisions, and policy proposals should meet five key principles:

• Responsible research: Climate-intervention research should not be presented as an alternative to emissions reductions, and researchers should provide a clear, public justification of their activity,
• Holistic climate justice: Researchers should consider whether any proposed activity would shift climate impacts from one group to another, as well as consider its impact on groups experiencing social, economic, climate, and environmental injustices,
• Inclusive public participation: Researchers should have fair and inclusive processes to identify groups that may be impacted by the activity and include them in discussion of the purposes and design of the research,
• Transparency: Public and private funding of climate intervention research and experimentation should be completely transparent, and
• Informed governance: Where technologies have significant risks, funders should require research proposals to be reviewed and approved by an independent body.