In the media: Climate engineering
SSE Riga Assistant Professor Xavier Landes addresses the issue of climate engineering, i.e. the voluntary alteration of climate through carbon capture or solar radiation management.
Although, not all of these technologies raise equivalent ethical issues, some being benign (e.g. reforestation or deforestation, wetlands enhancement), others raise legitimate concerns (e.g. stratospheric sulfur injection).
Landes explains that "the problem is the more citizens, companies, governments are waiting before engaging in serious mitigation by drastically cutting their greenhouse gas emissions, the more the prospect of geoengineering looks probable. More and more governments or private companies will start being tempted to actively engage in modifying the climate. The idea has already been around for 10-15 years. Therefore, it is worrying to observe so little interest in the topic among citizens and, when such an interest exists, so indiscriminate opposition to scientific research."