A Critique of Geoengineering

Geoengineering technologies are not necessarily "bad" or "good" in themselves. Indeed, if climate degradation were to accelerate unexpectedly, or if political gridlock were to prevent significant mitigation or adaptation, geoengineering technologies might prove to be necessary, and perhaps the only available insurance against unacceptable climate change. As with other powerful technologies, however, many costs and benefits arise as a result of the pace and scale of deployment-that is, they reflect social and political choices, rather than inherent characteristics of the technology itself. Rational and ethical development of these technologies is desirable given the challenge of climate change, but it will require a more sophisticated understanding of how technologies should be used in the context of complex adaptive systems. It will also require a more detailed understanding of the implications of specific geoengineering technologies, especially if they are used at large scales as "silver bullet" solutions, rather than as part of an integrated portfolio of responses.