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Geoengineering, Power, and the New Frontiers of Environmental Security
Geoengineering is no longer confined to academic speculation. As climate impacts outstrip political will and adaptation capacity, proposals to deliberately alter Earth systems—whether by reflecting sunlight, modifying clouds, or extracting carbon at scale—are entering serious policy conversations. These interventions promise speed, but at the cost of unprecedented uncertainty. This session examines geoengineering as a strategic choice under pressure: one shaped by asymmetries of power, uneven exposure to risk, and the absence of robust global consent. What happens when climate intervention becomes a tool of last resort—or quiet experimentation?
The panel will explore geoengineering through the lens of governance, security, and global responsibility, drawing on research at the intersection of climate science and international politics. With contributions including Danielle Young (University of Leeds), the discussion will probe how scientific expertise travels into policy, how legitimacy is constructed in the face of deep uncertainty, and whether existing international frameworks can constrain unilateral action. As climate stress sharpens geopolitical competition and crisis decision-making, geoengineering raises a central dilemma for the emerging climate–security nexus: how to manage planetary-scale interventions in a world still organised around sovereign states, contested authority, and strategic mistrust.
Date:
16 February 2026, 17:30
Venue:
Manor Road Building, Manor Road OX1 3UQ
Venue Details:
Seminar TBD
Speaker:
Prof Danielle Young (University of Leeds)
Organiser:
Zachary Turinsky (University of Oxford)
Organiser contact email address:
events@emergingthreats.co.uk
Part of:
Emerging Threats & Technology Working Group
Booking required?:
Recommended
Booking url:
https://us21.list-manage.com/survey?u=727d55073cf70ac049beb79ba&id=304edd4cca&attribution=false
Audience:
Oxford University Members and Wider Academic/Policy Community
Editor:
Christopher Morris
