Techno-moral change through solar geoengineering

How geoengineering challenges sustainability

Journal Article (2022)
Author(s)

B. Hofbauer (TU Delft - Ethics & Philosophy of Technology)

Research Group
Policy Analysis
Copyright
© 2022 B. Hofbauer
DOI related publication
https://doi.org/10.13169/prometheus.38.1.0082
More Info
expand_more
Publication Year
2022
Language
English
Copyright
© 2022 B. Hofbauer
Research Group
Policy Analysis
Issue number
1
Volume number
38
Pages (from-to)
82-97
Reuse Rights

Other than for strictly personal use, it is not permitted to download, forward or distribute the text or part of it, without the consent of the author(s) and/or copyright holder(s), unless the work is under an open content license such as Creative Commons.

Abstract

This article brings a new perspective to the ethical debate on geoengineering through stratospheric aerosol injection (SAI), incorporating the emerging techno-moral change scholarship into the discussion surrounding sustainability. The techno-moral change approach can help us understand different ways in which technology might shape society. First, it helps highlight how values and norms are interrelated. Second, it shows that techno-moral change can happen even if the technology is in no way realized. Through the introduction of two techno-moral vignettes, two diametrically opposed ways in which SAI forces us to rethink sustainability and our relationship with nature are suggested. SAI could lead to a situation of entrenchment, wherein sustainability as a norm is undermined, or transformation where the necessity of acting according to sustainability is highlighted.