Engineering and Governing the Climate: Ethical and Political Issues

Geoengineering increasingly appears to be crucial for future climate policies. Societies and governments throughout the world have so far failed to sufficiently curb greenhouse gas emissions necessary for averting dramatic global warming and climate change. This book introduces readers to the concepts and methods of climate engineering by presenting the techniques and risks, as well as the political and ethical issues. This timely text tackles topics such as arguments for and against altering the climate on purpose, the uncertainties of those technologies, the hurdles of international coordination, and the duties towards future generations. Landes engages with global cases, encompassing reforestation efforts; prevention of runaway planetary warming; and avoidance of climate catastrophe.

Distinctive features of the book include:

• Situating climate engineering within the context of the Anthropocene
• Setting up an evaluative framework used for assessing climate engineering methods thoroughly from three angles: feasibility, permissibility, and, preferability
• A taxonomy of the different methods of climate engineering: carbon dioxide removal and solar radiation management, each with dedicated chapters
• A structured and critical review of the different justifications for and oppositions to climate engineering R&D as well as deployment

Engineering and Governing the Climate: Ethical and Political Issues is an essential read for all those working in environmental studies, climate policy, and building a sustainable future.

Xavier Landes is an associate professor at the Stockholm School of Economics in Riga. In addition, he has held positions at Université de Montréal, University of Toronto, and Copenhagen University. Landes’s areas of expertise are political and moral philosophy. He has published on various topics such as multiculturalism, the welfare state, public insurance, and happiness. Climate change and climate alteration constitute his current focuses of research and teaching.