Virtual Workshop: Exploring Ethics and Societal Interactions of Climate Intervention

Hosted by National Science Foundation

October 15 – November 21, 2024

Apply by this Friday, Aug. 23 (link below)

The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency that supports science and engineering in all 50 states and U.S. territories. NSF was established in 1950 by Congress to promote the progress of science, advance national health, prosperity and welfare,and  secure national defense. We fulfill our mission chiefly by making grants. Our investments account for about 25% of federal support to America's colleges and universities for basic research: research driven by curiosity and discovery. We also support solutions-oriented research with the potential to produce advancements for the American people.

ABOUT: In October and November 2024, NSF will gather a group of selected participants to discuss research directions of climate intervention: its risks, impacts, and successes, best practices of governance and ethics, and where we need to know more. NSF needs your expertise and perspective to identify and address the critical research questions that will expand our understanding of the ethical and social considerations of deploying ocean and terrestrial Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) and Solar Radiation Management (SRM) strategies.

These NSF-sponsored workshops are designed to shape the boundaries of possible future strategies for CDR and SRM while addressing the ethical and social dynamics that will be critical in outlining the potential development and implementation of projects based on these strategies.

What is the Challenge?

The rapid reduction of CO2 and other greenhouse gas emissions remains a top priority. However, as the global temperature continues to rise at an unprecedented rate, there has been increased interest in CDR and SRM strategies, resulting in a push for federal agency research in these areas. Although CDR and SRM offer intriguing and exciting approaches to mitigating climate change, they can also result in unintended environmental and societal consequences. We must use an interdisciplinary approach in order to weigh the risks of implementing the strategies against the risks of inaction.

What will we do?

During a series of five virtual half-day workshops and a preliminary briefing session, scientists and engineers within the domains of the atmosphere, land and oceans will explore visions for what research is feasible within the CDR and SRM realms. The first three workshops will focus on SRM, terrestrial CDR, and marine CDR, and include both natural and social scientists. During the final two workshops, which will be limited to social and select natural scientists, we will identify potential ethics and governance aspects we may have overlooked and discuss research opportunities to address such gaps.

More info, including individual session times and dates can be found here. 

APPLY: Apply at this link by Friday, August 23rd! Please reach out to cdr-srm@nsf.gov with any questions.