Like diamonds in the sky? Public perceptions, governance, and information framing of solar geoengineering activities in Mexico, the United Kingdom, and the United States

Chad M. Baum; Livia Fritz; Sean Low; Benjamin K. Sovacool

doi:10.1080/09644016.2023.2301262

Like diamonds in the sky? Public perceptions, governance, and information framing of solar geoengineering activities in Mexico, the United Kingdom, and the United States

Chad M. Baum^*
, Livia Fritz
, Sean Low
, Benjamin K. Sovacool

^*Corresponding author for this work

Aarhus University

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

Solar geoengineering (also known as solar radiation modification) is garnering more attention (and controversy) among media and policymakers in response to the impacts of climate change. Such debates have become more prominent following the first-ever field trials of stratospheric aerosol injection (SAI) in 2022. How the lay public perceives solar geoengineering remains unclear, however. We use nationally representative samples (N = 3013) in Mexico, United States, and United Kingdom to examine public perceptions of risks and benefits, support, and policy preferences. We also employ an information-framing design that presented individuals with media-style reports on SAI activities differing along three dimensions: location, actor, and scale and purpose. Support for SAI is found to be generally higher in Mexico; perceptions of risks and benefits do not differ between countries. Information about SAI activities has a limited effect. There is evidence that activities conducted by universities receive more support than those by start-up companies.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	868-895
Number of pages	28
Journal	Environmental Politics
Volume	33
Issue number	5
Early online date	11 Jan 2024
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/09644016.2023.2301262
Publication status	Published - 2024
Externally published	Yes

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Funding

This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the European Research Council (ERC) Grant Agreement No. 951542-GENIE-ERC-2020-SyG, “GeoEngineering and NegatIve Emissions pathways in Europe” (GENIE) as well as from the European Union’s Horizon Europe program, Grant Agreement No. 101056873, “Enabling and Leveraging Climate Action towards Net Zero Emissions” (ELEVATE). The content of this deliverable does not reflect the official opinion of the European Union. Responsibility for the information and views expressed herein lies entirely with the author(s). We are grateful for and acknowledge the assistance of William Lamb and the Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate Change (MCC) with design of the graphic for stratospheric aerosol injection. The project was approved by the Institutional Review Board at Aarhus University 2021-13.

Funders	Funder number
European Union’s Horizon Europe program	101056873
Horizon 2020 Framework Programme
European Research Council	951542-GENIE-ERC-2020-SyG

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 13 Climate Action

Keywords

Global South
climate change
governance
public perception
solar geoengineering
stratospheric aerosol injection

Access to Document

10.1080/09644016.2023.2301262Licence: CC BY-NC-ND

Like diamonds in the sky Public perceptions governance and information framing of solar geoengineering activities in Mexico the United Kingdom anFinal published version, 2.08 MBLicence: CC BY-NC-ND

Cite this

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title = "Like diamonds in the sky? Public perceptions, governance, and information framing of solar geoengineering activities in Mexico, the United Kingdom, and the United States",

abstract = "Solar geoengineering (also known as solar radiation modification) is garnering more attention (and controversy) among media and policymakers in response to the impacts of climate change. Such debates have become more prominent following the first-ever field trials of stratospheric aerosol injection (SAI) in 2022. How the lay public perceives solar geoengineering remains unclear, however. We use nationally representative samples (N = 3013) in Mexico, United States, and United Kingdom to examine public perceptions of risks and benefits, support, and policy preferences. We also employ an information-framing design that presented individuals with media-style reports on SAI activities differing along three dimensions: location, actor, and scale and purpose. Support for SAI is found to be generally higher in Mexico; perceptions of risks and benefits do not differ between countries. Information about SAI activities has a limited effect. There is evidence that activities conducted by universities receive more support than those by start-up companies.",

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doi = "10.1080/09644016.2023.2301262",

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AU - Low, Sean

AU - Sovacool, Benjamin K.

PY - 2024

Y1 - 2024

N2 - Solar geoengineering (also known as solar radiation modification) is garnering more attention (and controversy) among media and policymakers in response to the impacts of climate change. Such debates have become more prominent following the first-ever field trials of stratospheric aerosol injection (SAI) in 2022. How the lay public perceives solar geoengineering remains unclear, however. We use nationally representative samples (N = 3013) in Mexico, United States, and United Kingdom to examine public perceptions of risks and benefits, support, and policy preferences. We also employ an information-framing design that presented individuals with media-style reports on SAI activities differing along three dimensions: location, actor, and scale and purpose. Support for SAI is found to be generally higher in Mexico; perceptions of risks and benefits do not differ between countries. Information about SAI activities has a limited effect. There is evidence that activities conducted by universities receive more support than those by start-up companies.

AB - Solar geoengineering (also known as solar radiation modification) is garnering more attention (and controversy) among media and policymakers in response to the impacts of climate change. Such debates have become more prominent following the first-ever field trials of stratospheric aerosol injection (SAI) in 2022. How the lay public perceives solar geoengineering remains unclear, however. We use nationally representative samples (N = 3013) in Mexico, United States, and United Kingdom to examine public perceptions of risks and benefits, support, and policy preferences. We also employ an information-framing design that presented individuals with media-style reports on SAI activities differing along three dimensions: location, actor, and scale and purpose. Support for SAI is found to be generally higher in Mexico; perceptions of risks and benefits do not differ between countries. Information about SAI activities has a limited effect. There is evidence that activities conducted by universities receive more support than those by start-up companies.

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KW - governance

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KW - stratospheric aerosol injection

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Like diamonds in the sky? Public perceptions, governance, and information framing of solar geoengineering activities in Mexico, the United Kingdom, and the United States

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

UN SDGs

Keywords

Access to Document

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