Journal
PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY A-MATHEMATICAL PHYSICAL AND ENGINEERING SCIENCES
Volume 370, Issue 1974, Pages 4176-4196Publisher
ROYAL SOC
DOI: 10.1098/rsta.2012.0099
Keywords
geoengineering; public attitudes; risk perceptions
Categories
Funding
- Economic and Social Research Council [RES-062-23-1134]
- Leverhulme Trust [F/00 407/AG]
- US National Science Foundation [SES 0938099]
- Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
- Horizon Digital Economy Research, RCUK grant [EP/G065802/1]
- EPSRC [EP/I014721/1, EP/G065802/1] Funding Source: UKRI
- ESRC [ES/F035888/1, not_applicable] Funding Source: UKRI
- Economic and Social Research Council [ES/F035888/1, not_applicable] Funding Source: researchfish
- Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council [EP/G065802/1, EP/I014721/1] Funding Source: researchfish
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Proposals for geoengineering the Earth's climate are prime examples of emerging or 'upstream' technologies, because many aspects of their effectiveness, cost and risks are yet to be researched, and in many cases are highly uncertain. This paper contributes to the emerging debate about the social acceptability of geoengineering technologies by presenting preliminary evidence on public responses to geoengineering from two of the very first UK studies of public perceptions and responses. The discussion draws upon two datasets: qualitative data (from an interview study conducted in 42 households in 2009), and quantitative data (from a subsequent nationwide survey (n = 1822) of British public opinion). Unsurprisingly, baseline awareness of geoengineering was extremely low in both cases. The data from the survey indicate that, when briefly explained to people, carbon dioxide removal approaches were preferred to solar radiation management, while significant positive correlations were also found between concern about climate change and support for different geoengineering approaches. We discuss some of the wider considerations that are likely to shape public perceptions of geoengineering as it enters the media and public sphere, and conclude that, aside from technical considerations, public perceptions are likely to prove a key element influencing the debate over questions of the acceptability of geoengineering proposals.
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