the results of the UK Parliamentary committee hearings recently which were
in cooperation withthe US hearings
----- Original Message -----
From: "Science & Technology Committee" <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, March 18, 2010 11:00 AM
Subject: Science and Technology Committee Press Notice #26: Report
published - The Regulation of Geoengineering
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE
Select Committee Announcement
Committee Office, House of Commons, 7 Millbank, London SW1P 3JA
Tel. No. 020 7219 2794 Fax. No. 020 7219 0896 Email:
[email protected]
No. 26 (09-10): 18 March 2010
MPs CALL FOR EARLY ACTION ON GEOENGINEERING REGULATION
Arrangements for the regulation of geoengineering must not be left until
highly disruptive climate change is underway, warns the Science and
Technology Committee in a report published today (Thursday 18 March).
Serious consideration for regulation should start now and the Committee
urges the UK and other governments to 'prime the UN pump' in order to ensure
the best chance of eventual multilateral agreement to a UN-operated
regulatory framework.
The Committee outlines three reasons why regulation is needed:
* Future geoengineering techniques may allow a single country
unilaterally to affect the climate of the Earth
* Small-scale geoengineering testing is already underway
* Geoengineering as a 'Plan B' may be required if 'Plan A' - the
reduction of greenhouse gases - fails
Starting work now provides the opportunity to explore fully the
technological, environmental, political and regulatory issues.
The Committee recommends the grading of geoengineering techniques and that
regulatory regimes should then be tailored accordingly, with controls based
on a set of widely-agreed principles.
This inquiry was part of a unique collaboration with the US House of
Representatives Science and Technology Committee. In its report the House of
Commons Science and Technology Committee commends to its successor committee
international collaboration as an innovative way to meet future global
challenges.
The Chairman of the Committee, Phil Willis MP, commented:
"Geoengineering could affect the entire planet and it would be foolish to
ignore its potential to minimise or reverse human caused climate change.
There is no sound reason not to begin the groundwork for regulatory
arrangements immediately. I particularly welcome the solar Radiation
Management Governance Initiative that the Royal Society announced today.
"We hope that our work with the US House Committee will set in train greater
collaboration between parliamentary committees in the future. We found it to
be constructive, rewarding and, we hope, successful."
NOTES TO EDITORS:
1. Further details about this inquiry can be found at:
http://www.parliament.uk/parliamentary_committees/science_technology/s_t_geoengineering_inquiry.cfm
Media Enquiries: Becky Jones: 020 7219 5693
Committee Website: http://www.parliament.uk/science
Publications / Reports / Reference Material: Copies of all select committee
reports are available from the Parliamentary Bookshop (12 Bridge St,
Westminster, 020 7219 3890) or the Stationery Office (0845 7023474).
Committee reports, press releases, evidence transcripts, Bills; research
papers, a directory of MPs, plus Hansard (from 8am daily) and much more, can
be found on www.parliament.uk<http://www.parliament.uk/>.
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