Debating Geo-Engineering Governance: How It Matters to the Asia- ¬Pacific Region

The debate on the risks and opportunities of geoengineering is currently gaining momentum. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is, for the first time, assessing the scientific basis as well as the potential impacts and side effects of geoengineering proposals in their Fifth Assessment Report, which is scheduled to be finalised in 2014. The Asia-Pacific region needs to participate in this debate. This NTS Alert highlights the climate change challenges in the Asia-Pacific and their likely impacts. It identifies three initial steps that may facilitate a discussion to investigate the potential role of geoengineering techniques in response to those challenges: regional consultations, scenario-building, and public and civil society engagement