Geoengineering, the Precautionary Principle, and the Search For Climate Safety
This article considers the application of the precautionary principle as understood in EU law to EU decision-making on geoengineering, in particular solar geoengineering. It finds that the situation is riddled with more complexities than first appears; (i) the principle is used to argue against rese...
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Cambridge University Press
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| Series: | European Journal of Risk Regulation |
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| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S1867299X25000145/type/journal_article |
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| author | Gareth Davies Julie Vinders |
| author_facet | Gareth Davies Julie Vinders |
| author_sort | Gareth Davies |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This article considers the application of the precautionary principle as understood in EU law to EU decision-making on geoengineering, in particular solar geoengineering. It finds that the situation is riddled with more complexities than first appears; (i) the principle is used to argue against research, even though more research is usually itself seen as precautionary response; (ii) the risks of research are claimed to lie in its political impact, whereas the principle is traditionally applied to direct physical risks; (iii) while there are legitimate precautionary arguments against geoengineering, it is itself put forward as a precautionary measure and there are precautionary arguments in favour too. Drawing on case law and scholarship we conclude that the precautionary principle can nevertheless be applied and will lead to a procedural requirement to do comprehensive reviews of relevant scientific knowledge before decision-making. This leaves wide – but not unbounded – discretion but may still be valuable in providing a frame for reasoned public debate. We also apply our findings to the recent expert reports on Solar Radiation Modification and show that they have failed to apply precaution correctly. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-8e4a7b45ab9e4c2aafe28fd4fec5c230 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1867-299X 2190-8249 |
| language | English |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | European Journal of Risk Regulation |
| spelling | doaj-art-8e4a7b45ab9e4c2aafe28fd4fec5c2302025-08-20T13:13:35ZengCambridge University PressEuropean Journal of Risk Regulation1867-299X2190-824911210.1017/err.2025.14Geoengineering, the Precautionary Principle, and the Search For Climate SafetyGareth Davies0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9907-7758Julie Vinders1Faculty of Law, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The NetherlandsInnovation and Research Services, Trilateral Research, London, UKThis article considers the application of the precautionary principle as understood in EU law to EU decision-making on geoengineering, in particular solar geoengineering. It finds that the situation is riddled with more complexities than first appears; (i) the principle is used to argue against research, even though more research is usually itself seen as precautionary response; (ii) the risks of research are claimed to lie in its political impact, whereas the principle is traditionally applied to direct physical risks; (iii) while there are legitimate precautionary arguments against geoengineering, it is itself put forward as a precautionary measure and there are precautionary arguments in favour too. Drawing on case law and scholarship we conclude that the precautionary principle can nevertheless be applied and will lead to a procedural requirement to do comprehensive reviews of relevant scientific knowledge before decision-making. This leaves wide – but not unbounded – discretion but may still be valuable in providing a frame for reasoned public debate. We also apply our findings to the recent expert reports on Solar Radiation Modification and show that they have failed to apply precaution correctly.https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S1867299X25000145/type/journal_articleclimate governanceEU Lawgeoengineeringprecautionary principlesolar radiation modification |
| spellingShingle | Gareth Davies Julie Vinders Geoengineering, the Precautionary Principle, and the Search For Climate Safety European Journal of Risk Regulation climate governance EU Law geoengineering precautionary principle solar radiation modification |
| title | Geoengineering, the Precautionary Principle, and the Search For Climate Safety |
| title_full | Geoengineering, the Precautionary Principle, and the Search For Climate Safety |
| title_fullStr | Geoengineering, the Precautionary Principle, and the Search For Climate Safety |
| title_full_unstemmed | Geoengineering, the Precautionary Principle, and the Search For Climate Safety |
| title_short | Geoengineering, the Precautionary Principle, and the Search For Climate Safety |
| title_sort | geoengineering the precautionary principle and the search for climate safety |
| topic | climate governance EU Law geoengineering precautionary principle solar radiation modification |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S1867299X25000145/type/journal_article |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT garethdavies geoengineeringtheprecautionaryprincipleandthesearchforclimatesafety AT julievinders geoengineeringtheprecautionaryprincipleandthesearchforclimatesafety |