GSIPM

Dr. William Burns, Monterey Institute Professor and Editor in Chief of the Journal of International Wildlife Law & Policy, has published an article entitled “Geoengineering the Climate: An Overview of Solar Radiation Management Options” in the Tulsa Law Review.

A brief synopsis of the article:

As the world community’s tepid response to climate change makes it increasingly clear that we may pass critical thresholds that will visit potentially catastrophic impacts on human institutions and ecosystems, the interest in climate geoengineering has intensified.   This article argues that one suite of potential geoengineering options, solar radiation management (SRM) could result in a “termination effect,” i.e. massive and very rapid increases in temperatures should the use of such schemes cease due to technological mishaps or societal decision-making.  It further contends that could violate the international legal principle known as intergenerational equity, meaning that SRM deployment would constitute a violation of international law unless use is strictly conditioned on step-wise reductions in greenhouse emissions concomitant to deployment.

Dr. Wil Burns will be teaching the seminar IPOL 8680 International Wildlife and Biodiversity Law during the spring 2011 semester.