Webinar: Geoengineering and Biological Diversity

Time: 08:00 – 10:00 AM EDT (Montreal/New York), 12:00 PM UTC, 13:00 PM CET/Geneva, 15:00 PM Nairobi, 17:30 PM New Delhi, 20:00 PM Beijing

Duration: 2 hours

Who is this for? 

Researchers, policy-makers, legislators, non-governmental organisations, journalists, government/international organisation officials and other interested parties looking to understand the impact of geoengineering activities on biodiversity, and how the international community should address geoengineering research under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).

Background

Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity have called for “more transdisciplinary research and sharing of knowledge among appropriate institutions…  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.”

To that end, Carnegie Climate Geoengineering Governance Initiative (C2G2) is working in partnership with the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) to gather public inputs into a possible research framework, for presentation to the CBD Conference of the Parties in 2018.

This webinar aims to inform a broad range of participants about the state of play of geoengineering research and its governance, including views from scientists, public policy experts, civil society and indigenous peoples. Participants will hear from leading practitioners, and will be invited to take part in a Q&A session after the presentations.

How to register

Go to https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4379478344361287939

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. All registrants will receive a link to the recording—so please register even if you cannot attend the live event.

Please share this invitation with your network.

Agenda

08:00–08:10 (10 mins)—Welcome, Introductions / Janos Pasztor, Executive Director, C2G2 (Moderator)

08:10–08:15 (5 mins)—Introduction and overview of the Convention’s work on climate-related geoengineering / David Cooper, Deputy Executive Secretary, Secretariat of the CBD

08:15–08:20 (5 mins)—Objectives of the Webinar  / Janos Pasztor, Executive Director, C2G2

08:20–08:35 (15 mins)—Briefing on CBD Technical series and decisions on climate geoengineering relevant to the CBD and potential impacts on biodiversity by GE, covers what are the understandings and what research is needed. / Phil Williamson, School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, United Kingdom

08:35–08:45 (10 mins)—Pathway towards reaching the 1.5°C target and current proposed GE technologies / Doug MacMartin, Senior Research Associate and Senior Lecturer, Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Cornell University

08:45–08:55 (10 mins)—CASE STUDY 1: Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR): Ocean Alkalinity / Phil Renforth, Lecturer, School of Earth and Ocean Sciences, Cardiff University

08:55–09:05 (10 mins)—CASE STUDY 2:  Solar radiation management (SRM) technology:  Stratospheric Controlled Perturbation Experiment (SCoPEx) / Frank Keutsch, Stonington Professor of Engineering and Atmospheric Science, Professor of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Principal Investigator of SCoPEx

09:05–09:15 (10 mins)—Policy and governance issues related to geoengineering research / Jane Flegal, Visiting Fellow, School for the Future of Innovation in Society at Arizona State University

09:15–09:25 (10 mins)— Views from Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities geoengineering research and governance / Yolanda Teran, Indigenous International Forum on Biodiversity, Ecuador

09:25–09:35 (10 mins)—Views from civil society on geoengineering research and governance / Neth Daño, Asia Director, ETC Group

09:20–10:00 (25 mins)— Framing discussion & Q&A / Facilitated by Janos Pasztor

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, 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 Conference of the Parties has adopted a number of decisions on climate-related geoengineering. For more information visit:  www.cbd.int

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 catalyse 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, non-profit, non-partisan 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.