Could Canada lead the formation of a new global geoengineering regime?

ABSTRACT

As the effects of climate change continue to worsen, nations will have the opportunity to develop and deploy climate manipulation techniques known as geoengineering to forestall the worst effects. Indeed, some have argued that the nations of the world cannot meet their Paris Agreement goals without them. However, these technologies can be global in their effects, ecologically uncertain, and potentially prejudicial to non-deploying nations. Canada is well suited to lead the formation of an anticipatory governance regime due to its technological knowledge, the proximity of the Arctic as a potential testing ground, and its role as an internationally respected middle power. By stepping forward to lead the effort, Canada can ensure its own security and environmental interests as well as the stability of the rules-based international order.

RÉSUMÉ

Alors que les effets du changement climatique continuent de s'aggraver, les nations auront la possibilité de développer et de déployer des techniques de manipulation du climat, connues sous le nom de géo-ingénierie, afin de prévenir les pires effets. En effet, certains ont fait valoir que les nations du monde ne peuvent pas atteindre les objectifs de l'accord de Paris sans elles. Cependant, ces technologies peuvent avoir des effets à l'échelle mondiale, être incertains sur le plan écologique et potentiellement préjudiciables aux pays qui ne les déploient pas. Le Canada est bien placé pour diriger la formation d'un régime de gouvernance anticipative en raison de ses connaissances technologiques, de la proximité de l'Arctique comme terrain d'essai potentiel et de son rôle de moyenne puissance respectée à l'échelle internationale. En prenant cette initiative, le Canada peut garantir sa propre sécurité et ses intérêts environnementaux, ainsi que la stabilité de l'ordre international fondé sur les règles.

KEYWORDS:

• Geoengineering
• climate change
• global governance
• foreign policy

Acknowledgements

The author wishes to thank Fulbright Canada and the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs, Carleton University.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Elizabeth L. Chalecki

Elizabeth L. Chalecki is an Associate Professor of International Relations at the University of Nebraska Omaha, a former Research Fellow in the Environmental Change and Security Program at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, and a Fulbright Research Chair in Canada-U.S. Relations at the Norman Paterson School of International Affairs, Carleton University.