Identifying Drivers of the Acceptance and Rejection of Geoengineering: A Meta-Analysis - Thesis

[Geoengineering News]

https://groenkennisnet.nl/zoeken/resultaat/identifying-drivers-of-the-acceptance-and-rejection-of-geoengineering-:-a-meta-analysis?id=1481662

Authors: Jager, P.B. de

2025

Abstract 

As the current global efforts prove to be insufficient to limit warming, geoengineering technologies defined as “deliberate, large-scale interventions in the Earth’s climate system” have gained increased attention as a potential tool to address climate change. However, the social legitimacy and ethical implications of these technologies remain debated, and public acceptability is both under-researched and poorly understood. This thesis addresses this gap by conducting a meta-analysis of 40 peer-reviewed quantitative studies published between 2015 and 2024 to identify the drivers that influence public acceptance or rejection of geoengineering technologies, including both Solar Radiation Management (SRM) and Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR). The study categorizes potential drivers into five thematic areas: performance expectancy, social influence, facilitating conditions, hedonic motivation, and demographic factors. A coded dataset of 310 effect estimates was developed and analysed using ordered logistic regression to evaluate the direction and statistical significance of predictors across the literature.

Results reveal that public acceptance is shaped most strongly by emotional, ethical, and informational factors rather than by technical feasibility or economic rationale. Positive emotional framing, trust in credible actors, and climate concern consistently increased acceptability, while perceived technical feasibility, familiarity, and ethical concerns were associated with reduced support. These findings suggest that the path toward social legitimate climate engineering is complex and does not lie merely in technical demonstration alone but also in transparency, inclusivity, and public context. This study offers a base for future research by identifying current research gaps and factors influencing individuals’ opinion formation of geoengineering technologies.

Source: Groen Kennisnet