Geoengineering the Oceans … Carefully
September 21, 2023
Adding iron to the world’s oceans to promote the growth of carbon-sopping algae and plankton might offer what proponents call “the best, most effective and most affordable way … to slow the march of global warming.” But no matter the promise, Jane C. S. Long and Dane Scott argue in Issues, any approach to geoengineering must follow institutional and policy constraints to prevent vested human interests—identified as fortune, fear, fame, and fanaticism—from causing harm. To help moderate the corrupting effects of these foibles, the authors offer “some guidance for transparency, institutional design, research management, public deliberation, and independent advisory functions.”