PapersFlow Research Brief
Climate Change and Geoengineering
Research Guide
What is Climate Change and Geoengineering?
Climate Change and Geoengineering is the study of large-scale engineering interventions, such as solar radiation management and stratospheric aerosol injections, to mitigate global warming, alongside their ethical, governance, and environmental implications.
This field encompasses 27,502 papers examining geoengineering as a potential response to climate change. Topics include solar radiation management, stratospheric aerosols, climate justice, public perception, and policy dilemmas. Research highlights governance challenges in implementing such interventions.
Topic Hierarchy
Research Sub-Topics
Solar Radiation Management
Solar Radiation Management (SRM) research examines techniques to reflect sunlight away from Earth to cool the planet, including marine cloud brightening and cirrus cloud thinning. Researchers model climate responses, regional impacts, and termination risks associated with SRM deployment.
Stratospheric Aerosol Injection
This sub-topic investigates injecting aerosols into the stratosphere to mimic volcanic cooling effects, focusing on particle types, delivery methods, and atmospheric chemistry. Studies analyze dispersion patterns, ozone depletion risks, and hydrological cycle disruptions.
Geoengineering Governance
Geoengineering governance research explores international regulatory frameworks, decision-making processes, and principles for oversight of climate interventions. It addresses issues like unilateral deployment risks, benefit-sharing, and integration with Paris Agreement mechanisms.
Climate Justice in Geoengineering
This area studies equitable distribution of geoengineering risks and benefits, particularly impacts on vulnerable Global South populations and indigenous communities. Researchers examine procedural justice, compensation mechanisms, and intersection with adaptation finance.
Public Perception of Geoengineering
Public perception research surveys attitudes toward geoengineering technologies, framing effects, and communication strategies across cultures. It analyzes trust in scientists, moral hazard concerns, and influences on policy support.
Why It Matters
Geoengineering proposals like solar radiation management address limitations in current climate mitigation technologies, as outlined in "Stabilization Wedges: Solving the Climate Problem for the Next 50 Years with Current Technologies" by Pacala and Socolow (2004), which identifies a portfolio of 15 wedges to stabilize CO2 emissions over 50 years but notes gaps that large-scale interventions might fill. Governance frameworks are critical, with "The Regime Complex for Climate Change" by Keohane and Victor (2011) describing a loosely coupled set of regimes rather than a single integrated system, affecting how geoengineering could be deployed globally. Ethical concerns, as in "Developing a framework for responsible innovation" by Stilgoe et al. (2013), emphasize anticipation, inclusion, reflexivity, and responsiveness to ensure innovations like stratospheric aerosol injections do not exacerbate climate justice issues raised in works like "Why We Disagree about Climate Change" by Hulme (2009).
Reading Guide
Where to Start
"Why We Disagree about Climate Change" by Hulme (2009), as it provides foundational context on climate change as an environmental, cultural, and political phenomenon, essential for understanding geoengineering debates.
Key Papers Explained
"The Tragedy of the Commons*" by Hardin (2009) establishes resource overuse principles relevant to atmospheric interventions, which "The Regime Complex for Climate Change" by Keohane and Victor (2011) extends to fragmented governance structures. "Developing a framework for responsible innovation" by Stilgoe et al. (2013) builds on these by offering practical governance tools, while "Stabilization Wedges: Solving the Climate Problem for the Next 50 Years with Current Technologies" by Pacala and Socolow (2004) highlights technology portfolios that geoengineering might complement. "Overcoming the tragedy of super wicked problems: constraining our future selves to ameliorate global climate change" by Levin et al. (2012) synthesizes these into policy solutions for self-binding commitments.
Paper Timeline
Most-cited paper highlighted in red. Papers ordered chronologically.
Advanced Directions
Current discussions center on ethical governance for solar radiation management and stratospheric aerosols, drawing from established works like Lenton et al. (2019) on tipping points, amid ongoing needs for frameworks in climate justice and public perception. No recent preprints or news alter these foundations.
Papers at a Glance
| # | Paper | Year | Venue | Citations | Open Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Tragedy of the Commons* | 2009 | Journal of Natural Res... | 6.4K | ✓ |
| 2 | The Quality of Life | 1993 | Oxford University Pres... | 4.2K | ✓ |
| 3 | Anthropogenic and Natural Radiative Forcing | 2014 | Cambridge University P... | 3.9K | ✕ |
| 4 | Stabilization Wedges: Solving the Climate Problem for the Next... | 2004 | Science | 3.1K | ✕ |
| 5 | Developing a framework for responsible innovation | 2013 | Research Policy | 2.8K | ✓ |
| 6 | Why We Disagree about Climate Change | 2009 | Cambridge University P... | 2.4K | ✕ |
| 7 | A handful of carbon | 2007 | Nature | 2.4K | ✕ |
| 8 | Climate tipping points — too risky to bet against | 2019 | Nature | 2.1K | ✓ |
| 9 | The Regime Complex for Climate Change | 2011 | Perspectives on Politics | 1.9K | ✕ |
| 10 | Overcoming the tragedy of super wicked problems: constraining ... | 2012 | Policy Sciences | 1.8K | ✕ |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the tragedy of the commons in relation to climate change and geoengineering?
Hardin (2009) in "The Tragedy of the Commons*" describes how shared resources like the atmosphere lead to overuse, such as pollution from population growth, paralleling geoengineering challenges. Private property or formal equivalents avert tragedy in food resources but fail for atmospheric commons. Geoengineering interventions must address this to prevent collective inaction on climate mitigation.
How does solar radiation management fit into geoengineering discussions?
Solar radiation management appears as a key keyword in this field, focusing on reflecting sunlight to cool the planet. Papers explore its ethical and governance implications alongside stratospheric aerosol injections. It represents a potential supplement to emission reductions amid climate tipping points.
What governance structures exist for climate change and geoengineering?
"The Regime Complex for Climate Change" by Keohane and Victor (2011) identifies a loosely coupled set of regimes rather than a unified system. This complex influences geoengineering deployment through interest-based, functional, and organizational factors. Effective governance requires coordinating these elements for interventions like aerosol injections.
Why is responsible innovation important for geoengineering?
Stilgoe et al. (2013) in "Developing a framework for responsible innovation" propose governance via anticipation, inclusion, reflexivity, and responsiveness. This framework supports emerging technologies like geoengineering in democratic contexts. It ensures ethical alignment with public values and climate justice.
What are climate tipping points in geoengineering contexts?
Lenton et al. (2019) in "Climate tipping points — too risky to bet against" warn of irreversible changes from global warming. Geoengineering such as solar radiation management is debated as a response to these risks. The paper urges caution against underestimating tipping probabilities.
How does public perception affect geoengineering policy?
Hulme (2009) in "Why We Disagree about Climate Change" frames climate change as a cultural and political phenomenon shaping societal views. Public perception influences acceptance of geoengineering options like stratospheric aerosols. Disagreements highlight needs for inclusive governance.
Open Research Questions
- ? How can the regime complex for climate change be adapted to govern solar radiation management without creating new inequities?
- ? What ethical frameworks resolve dilemmas in stratospheric aerosol injections amid climate justice concerns?
- ? How do public perceptions of geoengineering evolve under scenarios of approaching climate tipping points?
- ? What institutional designs overcome the tragedy of the commons for global geoengineering deployment?
- ? How does responsible innovation integrate with super wicked problem constraints in geoengineering policy?
Recent Trends
The field maintains 27,502 works with no specified 5-year growth rate available.
Established papers like "Climate tipping points — too risky to bet against" by Lenton et al. continue to shape debates on geoengineering risks, with no new preprints or news in the last 6-12 months indicating steady reliance on core governance and ethics analyses.
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