Podcast

The Geopolitics of Climate Engineering: A Climate Lifeline or Pandora’s Box?

by Sophia Besch and Cynthia Scharf
Published on September 26, 2024

In the fight against climate change, a controversial new idea is gaining traction: solar geoengineering. Solar geoengineering, or solar radiation modification, is an emerging technology that aims to reflect sunlight back into space to cool planet Earth. In a world that is struggling to bring about the behavioral and political changes needed to reduce climate change, an innovative tech approach might seem like an alluring silver bullet. 

But the reality is not so simple. In this episode, Sophia sits down with Cynthia Scharf, a senior fellow at the International Center for Future Generations and former senior strategy director for the Carnegie Climate Governance Initiative. They discuss solar geoengineering's risks and promises, as well as its implications for geopolitics and conflict.

Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.

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