A Modest Defense of Geoengineering Research: a Case Study in the Cost of Learning

Winsberg, Eric

doi:10.1007/s13347-021-00452-9

Cited by 6 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 42 publications

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“…That might well increase the probability of unilateral and dangerous SG deployment as climate crisis impacts intensify and decision makers get increasingly desperate (Osaka 2021). The balance of evidence from sociology and public choice theory suggests that widespread and multilateral research builds prosocial norms and reduces bias relative to the state of affairs in which research output on a subject is confined to a small number of well-positioned actors (Winsberg 2021).…”

Section: The Landscapementioning

confidence: 99%

Who Are the Engineers? Solar Geoengineering Research and Justice

Táíwò¹,

Talati²

2021

Global Environmental Politics

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Solar geoengineering research is a small but growing field as concerns arise that reducing emissions will not be sufficient to limit severe climate impacts. With this increasing attention, ensuring that the field advances equitably and inclusively is of immense importance. This commentary is a response to arguments that advocate for abandoning solar geoengineering research altogether because it perpetuates colonialism and promotes injustice. We find, however, that this brand of argument is itself performatively colonial and recommend a more inclusive framework for solar geoengineering governance that integrates existing research on relevant structures.

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Section: The Landscapementioning

confidence: 99%

Who Are the Engineers? Solar Geoengineering Research and Justice

Táíwò¹,

Talati²

2021

Global Environmental Politics

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“…The criterion of provision of reliable information refers to SAI's need to maintain public trust in the long term, which is not easy, given the complexity and uncertainty of this institution. Channels need to be established for transmitting reliable information to stakeholders in order to avoid disagreement and/or facilitate reconciliation (Winsberg, 2021). As well as the risk of appropriation, its mode of operation might become quasi-autocratic, behind closed and impenetrable doors, hidden from the gaze of society and stakeholders.…”

Section: Criteria Of Legitimacymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…One major challenge is to avoid SAI being outsourced or captured by elites led by technocrats, bureaucrats, and investors (Szerszynski et al, 2013;Winsberg, 2021), who could manipulate decisionmaking processes in their own interests (Hamilton, 2013). The way to minimise this danger is to ensure that legitimacy and procedural justice are part of SAI, as implied by the conclusions of prior studies (SRMGI, 2011;Morrow et al, 2013;Rayner et al, 2013;Zürn and Schäfer, 2013;Bodle et al, 2014;Schäfer et al, 2015;Frumhoff and Stephens, 2018;Smith, 2018;Callies, 2018Callies, , 2019aGrasso, 2019;Morrow, 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Legitimacy and procedural justice: how might stratospheric aerosol injection function in the public interest?

Grasso

2021

Preprint

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The success of stratospheric aerosol injection (SAI) in limiting global heating requires the inclusion and maintenance of the political ideals of legitimacy and procedural justice. Without them, the prospects are slim that this institution can be developed and operated in the public interest in such a way that it will protect and promote social well-being by minimising climate-related harm. Long term legitimacy and procedural justice are crucial to several sensitive features of SAI. They relate to openness, inclusivity and independence, in dealing both with external issues of concern to stakeholders representing the general public and with internal issues concerning agents directly involved in SAI. This article begins by outlining notions of legitimacy and procedural justice, and the criteria appropriate for SAI. Then it investigates how the moral indications provided by the related standards might ensure that SAI is not distorted in such ways that it serves the selfish interests of private parties. Finally, the article outlines two governance recommendations for ensuring that legitimacy and procedural justice in SAI are achieved and maintained over time, so that it can work continuously in the public interest.

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In a recent paper Winsberg (2021) argued in favor of research into geoengineering by relying on Good's theorem, which states that conducting research maximizes one's expected utility. However, this result sometimes fails for risk-avoidant agents (Buchak 2010).

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confidence: 99%

“…reduce release of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, e.g. decreasing the fossil fuels dependence) are insufficient for reversing the effects of climate change (Winsberg, 2021).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

On the Utility of Research into Geoengineering Technologies for Risk-Avoidant Agents

Kostic

2023

Philos. sci.

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In a recent paper Winsberg (2021) argued in favor of research into geoengineering by relying on Good’s theorem, which states that conducting research maximizes one’s expected utility. However, this result sometimes fails for risk-avoidant agents (Buchak 2010). Since risk avoidance captures some of the ’precautionary’ intuitions that critics of geoengineering share, it is important to see if geoengineering research would maximize one’s utility if risk avoidance is taken into account. I show that under some conditions conducting geoengineering research would not maximize risk-weighted expected utility.

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A Modest Defense of Geoengineering Research: a Case Study in the Cost of Learning

Cited by 6 publications

References 42 publications

Who Are the Engineers? Solar Geoengineering Research and Justice

Who Are the Engineers? Solar Geoengineering Research and Justice

Legitimacy and procedural justice: how might stratospheric aerosol injection function in the public interest?

On the Utility of Research into Geoengineering Technologies for Risk-Avoidant Agents

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