The Political Prospects of Geoengineering: An Assessment of the Convention on Biological Diversity and the London Convention

Abstract

This dissertation investigates the ways in which geoengineering interlinks with global environmental politics (GEP) and how they cohere together. The core question is how geoengineering fits in today’s political context and how it affects this. To this end, the bulk of this paper aims to analyse two political regimes that have set a regulatory framework for geoengineering activities - the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the London Convention (LC) - and explore how these contribute to shape climate politics and governance. To do so, I conduct content analysis of their resolutions and combine it with primary literature and interviews to geoengineering experts. My research firstly reveals that the CBD brings a more multilateral and cross-disciplinary approach to environmental politics. Secondly, the LC makes a call for more research and science-based mechanisms as a means to shed light on decision-making processes. Despite these, I argue that geoengineering does not play a major role in GEP due to the lack of scientific research, political adherence, and governance framework. It remains to be seen whether and how geoengineering will acquire political and institutional stability in the future. Heretofore, my hope is that this research may prove useful in tracing some of the first implications of geoengineering in the political domain.