GENEVA, October 29, 2024 —The Ethical Framework Principles for Climate Intervention Research, released last week by the American Geophysical Union (AGU) “as a guide to responsible decision-making and inclusive dialogue about geoengineering research,” represents yet another attempt at voluntary self-governance—which has historically proven ineffective, according to the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL).
Commenting on the Principles, CIEL Geoengineering Campaign Manager Mary Church issued the following statement:
“The American Geophysical Union’s framework gives undue legitimacy to technologies that should have no place in any ethical climate strategy. Geoengineering would directly contravene key principles of environmental protection, human rights, and climate justice enshrined in international treaties.
“Voluntary frameworks have consistently failed to prevent harmful environmental impacts or hold powerful actors accountable. We do not need more non-binding principles; we need governments to build on the existing restrictive decisions taken by the international community to ensure that geoengineering does not go ahead.
“Solar radiation management is inherently immensely risky, with the potential to disrupt weather patterns, biodiversity, agriculture, and cause unpredictable global consequences. Testing these technologies in real-world environments at a scale that would bring meaningful information about their impact on the global climate is not only dangerous but also unethical, given the irreversible impacts it could have on ecosystems and communities worldwide.
”The risks of large-scale marine Carbon Dioxide Removal experiments are analogous to those of SRM, with the potential to disrupt the delicate equilibrium of ocean ecosystems, undermining the greatest carbon sink on the planet, impacting food chains, and harming coastal communities.
“While the AGU’s draft principles claim to be grounded in environmental justice, they fail to account for the fact that Indigenous Peoples have repeatedly voiced fundamental opposition to geoengineering research. This oversight is a stark example of how top-down climate interventions perpetuate existing injustices, marginalizing the communities most affected by climate change. An ethical framework for climate action must center on Indigenous rights and the leadership of frontline communities, not co-opt environmental justice language to justify risky technologies.”
Media Contact:
Niccolò Sarno, CIEL Global Media Relations: press@ciel.org