Climate Geoengineering: Science, Law and Governance

The sobering reality of the disconnect between the resolve of the world community to effectively address climate change, and what actually needs to be done, has led to increasing impetus for consideration of a suite of approaches collectively known as “climate geoengineering,” or “climate engineering.” Indeed, the feckless response of the world community to climate change has transformed climate geoengineering from a fringe concept to a potentially mainstream policy option within the past decade.

This volume will explore scientific, political and legal issues associated with the emerging field of climate geoengineering. The volume encompasses perspectives on both of the major categories of climate geoengineering approaches, carbon dioxide removal and solar radiation management.

Chapter 1: Introduction.- Chapter 2: Characteristics of a solar geoengineering deployment: Considerations of governance.- Chapter 3: Climate Action: The Feasibility of Climate Intervention on a Global Scale.- Chapter 4: A Moral Framework for Commons-Based Geoengineering.- Chapter 5: A Human Rights Framework for Climate Engineering: A Response to the Limits of Cost-Benefit Analysis.- Chapter 6: The Role of Human Rights in Implementing CDR Geoengineering Options in South Africa.- Chapter 7: Geoengineering and the Question of Weakened Resolve.- Chapter 8: Using Renewable Energy Policies to Develop Carbon Dioxide Removal.- Chapter 9: Associate and Incremental Storage: Opportunities for Increased CO2 Removal with Enhanced Oil Recovery.- Chapter 10: Regulating Geoengineering: International Competition and Cooperation.- Chapter 11:  Geoengineering and the Evolution of Dueling Precautions.

Wil Burns serves as the Co-Director of Institute for Carbon Removal Law & Policy, a research institution in the School of International Service at American University. He is also currently a Visiting Professor in the Environmental Policy and Culture program.

Simon Nicholson is an Associate Professor of International Relations in the School of International Service at American University. He is also Director of American University's Center for Environment, Community, and Equity, and co-Director of the Institute for Carbon Removal Law and Policy.

David Dana is the Kirkland & Ellis Professor of Law at Northwestern University’s Pritzker School of Law, and director of Northwestern’s Program on Animal and Food Law and Sustainability.