Source · Select Committees · Environmental Audit Committee
Recommendation 21
21
Accepted
Geoengineering proposals for polar regions are impractical, costly, and environmentally risky.
Conclusion
Geoengineering proposals which seek engineered approaches to avert or mitigate the effects of climate change in polar regions appear to us to be impractical owing to high costs, technical challenges, and environmental risks. Relying on such interventions rather than seeking to address the causes of Antarctic ice loss risks delay to the implementation of actions necessary to reduce carbon emissions. (Conclusion, Paragraph 114)
Government Response Summary
The government accepts this conclusion, stating it is not in favour of Solar Radiation Management (SRM) and has no plans to deploy it. It also highlights ongoing international work to address geoengineering research and governance challenges, including discussions at the ATCM which confirmed serious concerns and the need for a precautionary approach.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
The Government accepts this recommendation. 30. The Government is not in favour of Solar Radiation Management (SRM). It is not deploying SRM and has no plans to do so. The UK will work with our partners internationally to address geoengineering research and governance challenges, building on our longstanding climate action leadership and our active role in international scientific research collaboration. 31. The former chair of the UK Arctic and Antarctic Partnership committee of UK Polar researchers led an international process to develop a paper assessing a range of current Polar geoengineering proposals. The paper has been peer reviewed and is due for publication in September. This paper formed the basis of a submission on geo-engineering by the Scientific Committee for Antarctic Research (SCAR) which was discussed at this year’s ATCM. Parties noted the serious scientific, governance and ethical challenges some Antarctic geoengineering proposals posed. Many Parties considered Antarctica was not the place for experimentation given the potentially significant environmental implications. It was also agreed that a precautionary approach towards all geoengineering activities in the Antarctic area should be adopted, with Parties noting that all activities undertaken in Antarctica must be done so in accordance with the Treaty’s Protocol on Environmental Protection.