Climate Engineering Simulation Reveals How Fossil Fuel Interests Could Undermine Global Governance
On the final day of the simulation, players struggled to respond to reports that a large aerosol plume had been detected. Within the game, the plume resulted from joint US and Saudi testing of Stardust’s technology, although not every participant knew this.
Scientific advice became critical. Countries needed to determine how to establish satellite-monitoring networks and other observation systems capable of detecting secret experiments. A representative of an NGO called the Climate Future Cooperative approached Gorja and offered to fund such a plan.
“Great. Great. Why wouldn’t I?” Gorja remembers thinking.
How a fossil fuel-backed NGO disrupted the simulation
It soon emerged that the Climate Futures Cooperative was supported by the fossil fuel industry. Organizers noted that fossil fuel companies and major producing countries, including the United States and Saudi Arabia, have a clear interest in removing barriers to technologies that could combat climate change without immediately ending the use of coal, oil, and gas.
The shadowy NGO spent its time subtly undermining the atmosphere of the game and criticizing the process. Some players—including Russia, the United States, SpaceX, and Stardust—realized that the CFC was not what it appeared to be, Young said. “But they decided it was in their own interest and didn’t draw attention to it.”
The CFC then used the opportunity to fund Gorja, eroding her credibility and isolating and fragmenting the scientific voice in the room.
“It was total chaos,” Gorja says.
Strategic competition stalled agreement on solar radiation modification
The final lesson in the realpolitik of fossil fuels was the limit of what Gorja could tolerate. By the end of the last day, she was in tears.
Despite multiple proposals, the countries in the simulation never reached an agreement. European countries and Canada tried to build support for safeguards and open scientific research, but negotiations were repeatedly delayed and became tense confrontations over competing strategic interests.
In their final report, the researchers who conducted the simulation concluded that “strategic competition and national sovereignty, rather than concerns about climate change, drove the simulation.” Their work was supported by the UK government-funded Agency for Advanced Research and Inventions.
Source: arstechnica.com