Starting the Dialogue on Climate Engineering Governance: A World Commission

Climate engineering can, if appropriately governed within a coherent overall climate change strategy, reduce risks beyond what mitigation and adaptation can achieve alone, and is probably essential to achieve the Paris Agreement temperature targets. Climate engineering also poses significant new risks, and needs expanded research and scrutiny in climate assessments.

Starting the conversation on
climate engineering governance.

Both types of climate engineering — carbon removal and solar geoengineering — also pose significant challenges to governance. The governance challenges of solar methods are particularly novel and severe, and urgently need international examination and consultation, both to learn how (and whether) climate engineering can deliver societal and ecosystem benefits, and to prepare for the likelihood that some states, facing mounting climate change impacts, will pursue climate engineering, and the international system will have to respond.

The needed international dialogue on geoengineering governance will have broad international participation; engage high-level expertise in international policy and institutions; draw closely on parallel advances in scientific knowledge and technical capability, while keeping governance the central focus; and facilitate open, exploratory investigations of governance needs and potential responses, rather than pursue specific decisions, at least in initial stages. Present institutions are not well equipped to support these needs.

Read the Centre for International Governance Innovation by Edward A. Parson - “Starting the Dialogue on Climate Engineering Governance: A World Commission.”

(Read the "Conclusion" closely and you will see that such an idea is not without its challenges - Robert McLean)

Larry Marshall puts pen to paper to put the facts straight

CSIRO boss, Dr Larry Marshall,
 putting some facts straight.

Last week CSIRO shared some plans with staff, in the same spirit of openness that we developed our Strategy, plans which included exiting some of our climate work, and it’s important to get some facts straight so I’d like to directly address some of the incorrect reporting by media.

Firstly the overall number of people in CSIRO is projected to be unchanged at the end of a two year period, however up to 350 people may lose their positions as we change the focus of our work program. Some people will be redeployed or reskilled and some will be made redundant and those final figures are not yet determined. CSIRO has a well-established and respectful process when changes are made.  People are advised early, as was done last Thursday, updated as soon as details are available, as is continuing this week, and consulted on how best to implement decisions.

Read this piece by CSIRO Chief Executive, Larry Marshall -“Correcting the Public Record on Changes at CSIRO.”

An invite to Beneath the Wisteria supporters

The Greater Shepparton Environmental Sustainability Strategy has been listed as an agenda item at next week’s meeting of council.

Many Beneath the Wisteria supporters/members have had an active role in the development of the Strategy and council’s Environmental and Sustainability officer, Travis Turner, has invited them to attend.

In urging Beneath the Wisteria members to attend the meeting, Travis said: “They may be interested in coming along to the council meeting to listen to what the councillors have to say about the Strategy, its contents and whether or not they vote to adopt the Strategy”.

The meeting, which is open to the public, starts at 5:30pm on Tuesday, July 15, in the council boardroom, Welsford St Offices and last for about an hour.

“An action in the strategy,” Travis said, “is to form an Environmental Sustainability Advisory Committee and so I invite BtW supporters to consider becoming a community representative on the committee.

“There will be an official period when community members can submit an Expression on Interest form in the coming weeks,” he said.

Travis urged Beneath the Wisteria supporters to contact him it they wanted to flag their interest and be kept in the loop.

Travis can be contacted by phone at (03) 5832 9816 or mobile 0407 859 428 or via email at: travis.turner@shepparton.vic.gov.au