New project: Regulation, Assessment and Public Discourse on Climate Engineering

As a result of the sluggish pace of international climate negotiations, the debate on climate engineering (CE) – technological intervention to counteract the effects of climate change on the planet, also known as geoengineering – is gaining in significance. However, it is virtually impossible to gauge the risks of climate engineering and its potential side-effects. In light of this, the Office of Technology Assessment at the German Federal Parliament (TAB) has commissioned a report on the regulation and assessment of climate engineering. adelphi is a project partner in the consortium led by Kiel Earth Institutes.

In its Fifth Assessment Report in 2014, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) will closely examine the option of directly intervening in the climate system to halt the process of global warming. Various parties view climate engineering as a potential emergency measure if climate change spirals out of control. However, climate engineering measures bring with them a number of risks. These are extremely difficult to assess as very little research has been conducted in this area, but they could have as great an impact on the planet as the effects of climate change itself. Furthermore, the availability of these technologies in theory could undermine the climate change regime and political resolve to cut emissions, in spite of the fact that climate engineering may not represent a promising and sustainable alternative in practice.

The Office of Technology Assessment at the German Federal Parliament (TAB) therefore contracted an expert group led by the Kiel Earth Institute, to produce a report on the various aspects of climate engineering. The focus of the assessment are the legal ramifications, risk analysis and analyzing the public and political discourse surrounding climate engineering. adelphi contributes in particular perspectives and perceptions of selected non-OECD countries.