The Ethics of Solar Geoengineering: Navigating Moral Hazards and Intergenerational Justice

Furthermore, the concept of 'intergenerational justice' is central to this debate. Deploying geoengineering creates a "lock-in" effect. If future generations decide to halt SRM without having significantly reduced CO2 levels, they could face 'termination shock'—a rapid and catastrophic spike in global temperatures. This raises the question of whether current generations have the moral right to impose such a high-stakes management burden on the future, effectively forcing them to maintain a planetary-scale life support system they did not choose. From a governance perspective, geoengineering presents a challenge to global equity. A single nation or a small group of wealthy countries could unilaterally "set the global thermostat," potentially altering rainfall patterns or causing droughts in the Global South. This necessitates a shift in focus from purely scientific research to the development of inclusive, transparent, and legally binding international frameworks that prioritize the common heritage of mankind over unilateral technological intervention. UPSC Relevance: This topic is highly relevant for GS Paper IV (Ethics) regarding the "Ethics of Technology" and GS Paper III (Environment) concerning "Climate Change Mitigation." Aspirants can use these arguments in essays on sustainable development or questions regarding the ethical dilemmas of emerging technologies and the principle of intergenerational equity.