CFP: 4S conference Honolulu, Nov 2023: Climate (geo)engineering interventions: from science to deployment
McLaren, Duncan
Apologies for any crossposting …
Call for Papers:
Climate (geo)engineering interventions: from science to deployment
Session(s) at Society for Social Studies of Science (4S) conference, Honolulu, Nov 8-11, 2023
Convened by
Duncan McLaren, Emmett Institute, School of Law; UCLA (mcl...@law.ucla.edu)
Livia Fritz, Department of Business Development & Technology; Aarhus University (livia...@btech.au.dk)
Our sessions are open to papers and presentations from all perspectives and on all forms of climate (geo)engineering. We hope to convene research examining the transitions from science to deployment of climate (geo)engineering interventions, including - but not limited to - issues of knowledge politics, epistemic presumptions, technology assessment, public engagement, indigenous involvement, governance mechanisms and institutions.
Climate (geo)engineering is a deeply contested issue, as yet understudied in STS, despite important early work such as ‘Experiment Earth’ by Jack Stilgoe. While the convenors share a fairly sceptical view of its potential, we consider it too important to ignore, not only as a ‘climate technology’ but also as something with broad impacts on society, politics and security.
We would be delighted to discuss possible contributions with you in advance of submission and try to answer any questions you might have about the session(s). Please also feel free to forward this call widely amongst relevant networks, colleagues and students.
Note that there will be opportunities for remote presentation, but we hope to convene a critical mass in face-to-face attendance, and of course, we’d prefer to enjoy Hawai’i with you! To maximize the potential for discussion and debate we will be encouraging presenters to circulate papers prior to the meeting (although there is no fixed deadline for this from 4S).
More information on the conference, aims, logistics etc is at: https://www.4sonline.org/meeting.php.
The portal for submissions opens at the end of April, and the deadline for submitting paper abstracts is May 26th. See https://www.4sonline.org/call_for_submissions.php for more information.
Session abstract follows:
Climate (geo)engineering interventions: from science to deployment
Continued procrastination in cutting climate-changing emissions has drawn much elevated attention to climate (geo)engineering interventions: techniques to extract carbon from the environment or to directly reduce global temperatures through solar radiation modification (SRM). Such technological interventions threaten a neo-colonial enclosure of atmospheric, oceanic and terrestrial commons, taking control of skies, seas and land in the name of combating the climate crisis. Terrestrial carbon removal projects are fast multiplying with hundreds of initiatives and businesses involved, while speculation and research into oceanic carbon removal prospects has redoubled. Experiments in solar radiation modification are moving out of models and laboratories into the skies. Ad-hoc governance is emerging in national and multilateral settings with only limited public and indigenous engagement. Scientific knowledge is being converted into technologies, business models and governance regimes with limited reflexive examination of the knowledge politics involved. Research has begun to highlight social, environmental, political and security risks – among others – and both advocates and critics of geoengineering are calling for careful risk-risk analysis. The convenors of this panel interrogate the research, development and governance of these emerging technologies, with particular interests in the risk politics, environmental justice and security implications as well as the formation of publics and diverse modes of engagement. This panel aims to convene research examining the transitions from science to deployment of climate (geo)engineering interventions, including - but not limited to - issues of knowledge politics, epistemic presumptions, technology assessment, public engagement, indigenous involvement, governance mechanisms and institutions.