Abstract:

The Paris Agreement introduced a 1.5℃ target to control global temperature rising, but it didn’t make clear arrangements for feasible implementation pathways. Achieving 1.5℃ target sets up higher requirements on global emission reductions. Adding up NDCs (Nationally Determined Contributions) of all Parties is far from 1.5℃ target, while conventional emission reduction technologies and policies will also be difficult to fulfill the task. In this context, the discussion about geoengineering is heating up in the international area. The Paris Agreement in fact has already included afforestation, carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCS/CCUS), negative emission technologies such as bio-energy with CCS (BECCS), and all of these are carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technologies that belong to geoengineering. In addition, solar radiation management (SRM) which is more controversial also attracts more attentions in recent years. Geoengineering as an unconventional technical option is definately necessary in a series of researches and discussions on the impacts assessment, technical options, ethics, international governance, etc. under 1.5℃ target. On the basis of analyzing and discussing above-mentioned issues, this paper proposes some policy suggestions, such as enhancing scientific issues and governance problems research in geoengineering field for China.

Key words: Paris Agreement, 1.5℃ target, geoengineering