Ethical and Technical Challenges in Compensating for Harm Due to Solar Radiation Management Geoengineering

摘要

As a response to climate change, geoengineering with solar radiation management (SRM) has the potential to result in unjust harm. Potentially, this injustice could be ameliorated by providing compensation to victims of SRM. However, establishing a just SRM compensation system faces severe challenges. First, there is scientific uncertainty in detecting particular harmful impacts and causally attributing them to SRM. Second, there is ethical uncertainty regarding what principles should be used to determine responsibility and eligibility for compensation, as well as determining how much compensation ought to be paid. Significant challenges loom for crafting a just SRM compensation system.