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Transdisciplinary Research and Governance on Climate-related Geoengineering

Date: Sunday, 17th December 2017, 09:00 – 17:00

Location: International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Headquarters,  Montreal, Canada

Co-organised by: The Carnegie Climate Geoengineering Governance Initiative (C2G2) in collaboration with Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity

Background: The Carnegie Climate Geoengineering Governance Initiative (C2G2) is working in collaboration with the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (SCBD) to mobilise public policy inputs from the CBD community that can engage and guide the geoengineering research agenda relevant to the Convention. This partnership is to follow up on the last CBD Decision XIII/14 which noted that “more transdisciplinary research and sharing of knowledge among appropriate institutions is needed in order to better understand the impacts of climate-related geoengineering on biodiversity and ecosystem functions and services, socio-economic, cultural and ethical issues and regulatory options.”

In order to achieve this goal, C2G2, in collaboration with the SCBD, is organising a series of activities in the next 18 months to engage with the CBD Parties and stakeholders. This workshop is the second activity in this series following on a webinar ‘Governance of Research on Geoengineering in the CBD Context’ to be convened on 2nd November 2017.

Workshop objective: The objective is to explore and discuss with CBD Parties’ and stakeholders’ experts how the Convention can provide policy inputs and guidance into the global geoengineering research agenda through the lens of biodiversity conservation policies. Specifically:

• What kinds of transdisciplinary research on geoengineering are needed?
• What signals can CBD Parties provide to guide the geoengineering research community?
• What are the regulatory options for Geoengineering research?

Expected outcomes:

• A list of potential transdisciplinary research topics on climate-related geoengineering relevant to the CBD;
• A list of regulatory options for geoengineering research governance;
• Proposed next steps and any proposals for further discussion of this matter under the Convention;

How to Register

To register for the Workshop please send an email including your Name, Title, Organisation and contact information to the following email address including ‘C2G2 CBD Workshop’ in the Subject: [email protected]

Agenda

09:00–09:10—Welcome remarks and introduction: Welcoming remarks and Introduction to the workshop participants, panel of speakers and aims of the workshop / David Cooper, SCBD; Janos Pasztor, C2G2 (Chair)

09:10–09:30—Geoengineering research—the cutting edge: Presenting cutting edge examples of emerging geoengineering technologies: a) Solar Radiation Management (SRM): Stratospheric Controlled Perturbation Experiment (SCoPEx); b) Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) / Frank Keutsch, Harvard University;  Wil Burns, Forum for Climate Engineering Assessment

09:30–10:10—Transdisciplinary research—the state of play: Overview of what we know (and don’t know) about impacts on biodiversity, ecosystem functions and services and socio-economic, cultural and ethical issues / Phil Williamson, UK Natural Science Research Council; Holly Buck, University of California Los Angeles; Silvia Ribiero, ETC Group; Yolanda Teran, IIFB

10:00–10:20—Research governance—the state of play: Overview of the current state of play in governance of geoengineering research / Ana-Maria Hubert, University of Calgary

10:20–10:30—Geoengineering and the CBD: Overview of CBD decisions on climate related geoengineering and its application / David Cooper, CBD Secretariat

10:30–10:40—Geoengineering Governance: Overview of what is needed on global governance of geoengineering research and deployment / Janos Pasztor, C2G2

10:40–11:00—Refreshment break

11:00–12:30—Breakout I: Transdisciplinary research gaps: Group discussion exploring what new transdisciplinary research is needed in relation to climate related geoengineering relevant to the CBD

12:30–13:00—Lunchbreak

13:00–13:30—Plenary I: Transdisciplinary research gaps: Plenary group feedback and formulation of list of potential transdisciplinary research topics related to climate related geoengineering relevant to the CBD

13:30–15:00—Breakout II: Regulatory options for governing geoengineering research: Group discussion exploring what regulatory options exist for governing geoengineering research?

15:00–15:30—Refreshment break

15:30–16:00—Plenary II: Regulatory options for governing geoengineering research: Plenary group feedback and formulation of list of regulatory options for governing geoengineering research (30 mins) / Plenary

16:00–16:30—Next steps and recommendations: proposals for further discussion of this matter under the Convention / Plenary

16:30–17:00—Conclusion: Conclusions and closing remarks

Lunch and refreshments will be provided.

The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) Opened for signature at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, and entering into force in December 1993, the Convention on Biological Diversity is an international treaty for the conservation of biodiversity, the sustainable use of the components of biodiversity and the equitable sharing of the benefits derived from the use of genetic resources. With 196 Parties so far, the Convention has near universal participation among countries. The Convention seeks to address all threats to biodiversity and ecosystem services, including threats from climate change, through scientific assessments, the development of tools, incentives and processes, the transfer of technologies and good practices and the full and active involvement of relevant stakeholders including indigenous and local communities, youth, NGOs, women and the business community.  The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety and the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing are supplementary agreements to the convention. The Cartagena Protocol, which entered into force on 11 September 2003, seeks to protect biological diversity from the potential risks posed by living modified organisms resulting from modern biotechnology. To date, 171 Parties have ratified the Cartagena Protocol. The Nagoya Protocol aims at sharing the benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources in a fair and equitable way, including by appropriate   access to   genetic   resources   and by   appropriate transfer of relevant technologies. It entered into force on 12 October 2014 and to date has been ratified by 101 Parties.

The Carnegie Climate Geoengineering Governance Initiative (C2G2) is a climate geoengineering governance initiative of the Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs. C2G2 is neither for or against the research, testing or potential use of climate geoengineering technologies. That is a choice for society to make. We seek to catalyze the creation of effective governance for climate geoengineering technologies by shifting the conversation from the scientific and research community to the global policy-making arena, and by encouraging a broader, society-wide discussion about the risks, potential benefits, ethical and governance challenges raised by climate geoengineering.

Founded by Andrew Carnegie in 1914, Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs is an educational, nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that produces lectures, publications, and multimedia materials on the ethical challenges of living in a globalized world.   Headquarters: 170 East 64th Street, New York, NY. 10065, USA.  Tel: +1-212-838-4120.