Addressing Climate Change as an ‘Engineering...
21
Julia Schubert Forum Internationale Wissenschaft, Bonn CSTPR Noontime Seminar February 22 nd 2017 Addressing Climate Change as an ‘Engineering Challenge’ Quantified Expertise in U.S. Geoengineering Politics
Transcript of Addressing Climate Change as an ‘Engineering...
Julia SchubertForum Internationale Wissenschaft, Bonn
CSTPR Noontime SeminarFebruary 22nd 2017
Addressing Climate Change as an ‘Engineering Challenge’
Quantified Expertise in U.S. Geoengineering Politics
Structure1. Introduction
2. The Analytical Frameworka) Devising the Science-Politics Interfaceb) The Methodological Approach of “Following a Problem”
3. Data & Methods
4. Findings: Quantified Expertise in U.S. Geoengineering Politics (1990 – 2015)a) The Problem Careerb) The Relevance of Quantified Expertise
5. Outlook
2Julia Schubert: Addressing Climate Change as an ‘Engineering Challenge’
3
1. Introduction: Climate Engineering?
Climate Engineering is “deliberate largescale intervention in the working of the
Earth’s natural climate system”1
Solar Radiation Management & Carbon Dioxide Removal
èTechnological approach to addressing climate change
1 Royal Society 2009, p. 6; see also: Keith, 2000, p. 245; Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 2015, p. 89
4
1. Introduction: Quantified Expertise?
Climate is “the state, including a statistical description, of the climate
system”2
èNeed of quantified expertise to observe climate change
World Meteorological Organization, 2017
5
1. Introduction: Quantified Expertise?
Numerical Climatic Indicators Climate Models
Ø Climatic ThresholdsØ Numerical indicators of the
climate (temperature, GHG in atmosphere etc.)
Ø Forecasting future states of the climate system
Geoengineering in U.S. Politics
Julia Schubert: Addressing Climate Change as an ‘Engineering Challenge’
6
ÞSociological conceptions are moving away from the ‘linear model’:
ÞNew focus on social construction and historical contingency of the science-politics interface
2. The Analytical Frameworka) Devising the Science-Politics Interrelationship
Science informing policy Complex reciprocal interrelationship
Julia Schubert: Addressing Climate Change as an ‘Engineering Challenge’
7
‘Following a Problem’
GovernmentThink Tanks
Commissions
Agencies
NGOs
Parliament
Pluralised Politics Problem-relevant Institutions
2. The Analytical Frameworkb) The Approach of ‘Following a Problem’
Julia Schubert: Addressing Climate Change as an ‘Engineering Challenge’
8
A: Retrace Problem Career of Geoengineering in U.S. Politicsà How is Geoengineering factually addressed as a problem?
à How is this problem-framing shifting over time?
2. The Analytical Frameworkb) The Approach of ‘Following a Problem’
Julia Schubert: Addressing Climate Change as an ‘Engineering Challenge’
9
A: Retrace Problem Career of Geoengineering in U.S. Politicsà How is Geoengineering factually addressed as a problem?
à How is this problem-framing shifting over time?
2. The Analytical Frameworkb) The Approach of ‘Following a Problem’
B: Establish Role of Quantified Expertise for Problem Careerà How is quantified expertise aiding in shaping and addressing
Geoengineering in the distinct frames?
Julia Schubert: Addressing Climate Change as an ‘Engineering Challenge’
10
3. Data & Methods: The Corpus of Analysis
à50 Documents (Federal Digital System)
à1990 – 2015
à28 Hearings; 9 Reports; 6 Entries to the Federal Register (Rules, Notices); 4 Entries in the Congressional Record; 3 Pieces of Proposed Legislation
Julia Schubert: Addressing Climate Change as an ‘Engineering Challenge’
11
3. Data & Methods: The Corpus of Analysis
Julia Schubert: Addressing Climate Change as an ‘Engineering Challenge’
12
4. Findings: Quantified Expertise and the Geoengineering Problem Career
1) Scientific Challenge (14 Docs)
2) Engineering Challenge (17 Docs)
3) Science and Technology (S&T) Policy Challenge (8 Docs)
4) Environmental Adaption Challenge (4 Docs)
5) Regulatory Challenge (7 Docs)
Julia Schubert: Addressing Climate Change as an ‘Engineering Challenge’
13
“What’s going on here? What are the scientists saying?”(Chairman Chafee in: United States of America, 1997, p. 1f.)
o Climate change as a scientific challenge
o Illustration and contestation of climate change as a physicalphenomenon
o Discussion of ‘the science’ of climate change
1990 –2000
4. Findings: Quantified Expertise and the Geoengineering Problem Career
Julia Schubert: Addressing Climate Change as an ‘Engineering Challenge’
14
Quantified Expertise?!àQuantifying physical parameters of climate change
àContesting measurability of climate change
4. Findings: Quantified Expertise and the Geoengineering Problem Career
1990 –2000
Julia Schubert: Addressing Climate Change as an ‘Engineering Challenge’
15
“Do we need a Manhattan Project for the Environment?”(United States of America, 2006)
Relevance of Engineering and S&T Policy Frameo Climate change as a ‘daunting technological challengeo National strategic dimension: Apollo, Manhattan Projecto Environmental frame emerges à communicating urgency
4. Findings: Quantified Expertise and the Geoengineering Problem Career
1990 –2000
2000 – 2009
Julia Schubert: Addressing Climate Change as an ‘Engineering Challenge’
16
1990 –2000
Quantified Expertise?!
àEmergence of distinct ‘numbers’ (2 & 450): Threshold values signifying policy targets
àEmergence of ecological “tipping points”àQuantifying ”the size of the job”àFrom diffuse phenomenon to clear-cut challenge
4. Findings: Quantified Expertise and the Geoengineering Problem Career
2000 – 2009
Julia Schubert: Addressing Climate Change as an ‘Engineering Challenge’
17
4. Findingsa) The Geoengineering Problem Career in U.S. Politics
“Geoengineering Parts I, II, and III”(United States of America 2009)
Relevance of Engineering, Environmental, & Regulatory Frame
o Geoengineering as engineering (& scientific) challenge in its own right
o Geoengineering as necessary for environmental adaptation (“Last Resort” argument)
o Geoengineering regulated as “Non-Option”
1990 –2000
2000 – 2009 2009 –2015
Julia Schubert: Addressing Climate Change as an ‘Engineering Challenge’
18
4. Findingsa) The Geoengineering Problem Career in U.S. Politics
Quantified Expertise?!
o Quantifying and modeling the efficiency of potential Geoengineering strategies
o Quantifying urgent need for environmental resilience àNeed for Geoengineering as ‘Last Resort’
o Quantifying ‘science-based’ policy targets
1990 –2000
2000 – 2009 2009 –2015
Julia Schubert: Addressing Climate Change as an ‘Engineering Challenge’
19
5. Discussion of Results & Outlook
Quantified Expertise is substantially shaping Geoengineering problem career
Julia Schubert: Addressing Climate Change as an ‘Engineering Challenge’
Climate Modelsü Organizing discussion of
scientific understanding of climate change and
Geoengineeringü Climate change and
Geoengineering as primarily scientific challenge
20
5. Outlook
Quantified expertise is substantially shaping Geoengineering problem career
Numeric Indicatorsü Illustrating & disputing
physical reality of climate change
ü Policy targets specify distinct challenge
Julia Schubert: Addressing Climate Change as an ‘Engineering Challenge’
21
Literature
Keith, D. W. (2000). Geoengineering the Climate: History andProspect. Annual Review of Energy and the Environment, 25(1), 245–284.Pachauri, R. K., Mayer, L., & Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (Eds.). (2015). Climate Change 2014: Synthesis Report. Geneva, Switzerland: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.Royal Society (Great Britain). (2009). Geoengineering theClimate: Science, Governance and Uncertainty. London: The Royal Society.
Julia Schubert: Addressing Climate Change as an ‘Engineering Challenge’
