Start the Earth System Governance that Integrates “Climate-Altering Technologies”

Abstract

Addressing climate emergencies requires a radical social change, and an “earth system” governance approach that combines different factors (including technologies that affect climate). As the Paris Agreement has been reached for four years and came into force for three years, there is a growing recognition that the global average temperature rise cannot be limited to 1.5–2∘C only by emissions reduction or existing carbon removal measures. The reason is that the world has not taken enough actions to deal with the crisis. As reported by IPCC (2018), hundreds of millions of people worldwide are already experiencing the harsh consequences of climate change, from storms to floods, to heatwaves and droughts [IPCC. 2018. “International Panel on Climate Change Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5 Degrees.” https://www.ipcc.ch/sr15 (accessed November 5, 2019)]. According to Spratt and Dunlop (2019), as the climate change intensifies, all sectors of society have realized the need to avoid the risks brought by climate change and to deal with the severe disasters that already exist [Spratt, David, and Ian Dunlop. 2019. “Existential Climate-related Security Risk: A Scenario Approach.” https://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/148cb0b2c0c79dc4344b279bcf2365336ff23b.pdf (accessed November 5, 2019)]. This raises some profound questions. For instances, should people consider a new responsive measure that is compatible with the natural system which sustains life on the earth, and within the limits of the earth’s tolerance? What forms of decision-making might we need, to help us make the smart collective choices needed for a world where no risk-free options remain? Are familiar governance and decision-making processes still suitable for the goals? Who will make the decisions to promote this transformation? If people really want to change the way they make decisions, they may need to create new forms of governance and decide how this transformation begins and which authority is subject to.