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By now it is abundantly clear that religious groups have taken a stand on the moral necessity of combating climate change.
Pope Francis has spoken loudly and persistently on the social and ethical issues caused by climate change, including mass migration and famine. Many faith groups, including some evangelicals, have made unambiguous declarations on the need to care for creation.
Now, some organizations are urging religious groups to consider more controversial ways to avert climate catastrophe. One possible climate change solution in particular is getting more attention now: geoengineering.
It’s a big name for a large-scale intervention in the Earth’s climate system to counteract the effects of climate change. There are two main categories of geoengineering: greenhouse gas removal and solar radiation management.
Greenhouse gas removal involves removing greenhouse gases from the atmosphere by separating carbon dioxide from the air and storing the carbon underground. Solar radiation management involves reflecting sunlight back into space to stop the rise of global temperatures. The most plausible technology involves adding aerosols to the stratosphere to reflect sunlight back to space.
Geoengineering, however, can be controversial because it intentionally interferes with the climate system.For religious communities, geoengineering can bring up the question of playing God, as humans are intentionally interfering with the climate system. Cynthia Scharf is senior strategy director for the Carnegie Climate Geoengineering Governance Initiative. Photo by Rick Bajornas/United Nations
“Geoengineering kicks up a lot of subconscious material in our mind,” explained Cynthia Scharf, senior strategy director for the Carnegie Climate Geoengineering Governance Initiative. “It’s at this fundamental level of, do we have the right to do this, and what might be the impacts? That’s where the role of faith communities can be so important to sort through these deeper profound questions.”
The Carnegie geoengineering initiative is now inviting religious leaders to discuss the moral questions that arise from geoengineering. Recently, it gave a seminar at the Vatican on this topic. The initiative does not take a stance on geoengineering, but wants to see a greater public discussion of it. Scharf said it’s important to bring religious groups into the conversation and educate them about the topic, as geoengineering technologies will have planetary effects, and the discussion needs to include all sectors of society. Read more
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