Abstract
Nearly all research on public perceptions of climate engineering has been conducted in wealthy, developed countries. However, understanding perspectives from vulnerable populations is critical to inclusive, democratic debate on both research and governance. This study utilized in-depth interviews to explore the perspectives of vulnerable populations in the South Pacific, Sub-Saharan Africa, and the North American Arctic. Interviewees in this study were desperate for solutions to climate change and therefore willing to consider climate engineering. However, their willingness to consider climate engineering could be characterized as both deeply reluctant and highly conditional. Interviewees expressed a number of concerns about potential social and political implications of engineering the climate. They also described conditions that may need to be met to ensure that future climates (engineered or otherwise) are more equitable.
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Notes
Of the block quotes below, 46% are from interviewees in Alaska, 33% from Kenya, and 21% from the Solomon Islands.
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The research presented in this article was conducted by Wylie Carr when he was a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Montana. This publication has not been formally reviewed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). The views expressed in this article are those of W. Carr and L. Yung and do not necessarily reflect those of the FWS. The FWS does not endorse any products or commercial services mentioned in this publication.
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Carr, W.A., Yung, L. Perceptions of climate engineering in the South Pacific, Sub-Saharan Africa, and North American Arctic. Climatic Change 147, 119–132 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-018-2138-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10584-018-2138-x