Abstract

Defined as the “deliberate, large-scale manipulation of the planetary environment in order to counteract anthropogenic climate change,” geoengineering is an umbrella term that captures a variety of different technologies. This chapter will offer a concise overview of geoengineering as a response to anthropogenic climate change, with a primary focus on the ethical aspects this grouping of technologies engenders. We will start by exploring why it is that we are even considering these technologies rather than just doubling down on mitigation and adaptation, and then move into a brief explanation of some of the different technologies under consideration. With that brief explanation out of the way, we will then introduce a number of ethical considerations that some or all of the technologies give rise to. For the sake of organization, we will look at different ethical considerations that arise: (1) during research into these technologies; (2) after deployment or full-scale use of these technologies; and (3) in the kind of world in which these technologies have become the new normal.