The International Governance of Marine-Based Climate Geoengineering Options

Abstract:

In the ensuing years after the entry into force of the Paris Agreement, it has become increasingly obvious that achievement of its temperature objectives will require large-scale deployment of carbon dioxide removal/negative emissions technologies to either avoid passing critical climatic thresholds, or in an "overshoot scenario," in which atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide need to be drawn down to ultimately reduce temperatures. Many researchers and policymakers also believe that there may have to be a role for so-called “solar radiation management” approaches to increase solar insolation, suppressing radiative forcing, and thus buying policymakers “time” to decarbonize the economy. While much of the early research of “climate geoengineering/restoration” options focused on terrestrial approaches, there has been increasing attention to the potential role of the world’s oceans given oceans’ their huge role as a carbon sink, with potentially much greater potential, as well as opportunities for substantial modification of surface albedo.

However, research in this context, as well as potential deployment of climate geoengineering options also pose potentially substantial risks to marine environments. Moreover, there is likely to be substantial public backlash to research absent the existence of a sound regulatory framework for risk assessment, monitoring, and public deliberation.

The purpose of this presentation will be to discuss the contours of a governance framework for marine-based climate geoengineering technologies and processes. This will include a discussion of the regulatory efforts to date by international treaty regimes, and other potentially pertinent regimes, including those with a marine regulatory focus, as well as the potential role of the UNFCCC/Paris Agreement. The overarching thesis will be that anticipatory governance could both optimize facilitation of research and minimize risks. The discussion will include the potential risks and benefits presented by a number of marine-based geoengineering options and the mechanisms to ensure effective assessment within the regimes discussed within the presentation. The presentation will also examine the potential role of public deliberation in scientific research of these approaches, well as the role of social license to operate.