Pilot Workshop on Governing Geoengineering in the 21st Century: Asian Perspectives
Hosted by the RSIS Centre for Non-Traditional Security (NTS) Studies Singapore.
Geoengineering, defined by the Royal Society of the United Kingdom as ‘the deliberate large-scale manipulation of the planetary environment to counteract anthropogenic climate change’ is receiving growing attention from scientists, policymakers and the public concerned with the slow progress of international negotiations to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases. However, the emergence of geoengineering technologies, as a new potential response for ameliorating the human and ecological risks of climate change, appears to have given rise to at least as many challenges as it might have answered.
Against this backdrop, the Pilot Workshop on Governing Geoengineering in the 21st Century was the first meeting in the Asia-Pacific region to elicit Asian perspectives in the discourse on geoengineering. The event explored how geoengineering was perceived and framed in AsiaPacific countries in relation to climate change mitigation and adaptation. It examined the threats ahead of and opportunities in store for geoengineering as a new set of emerging technologies with which to address climate change and the pressing demands for a low-carbon economy.
During the workshop, discussions revolved, in particular, around three main issues:
- The appropriate framing of geoengineering.
- The importance of public engagement.
- The challenges of effective governance.
