UN biodiversity report identifies risks and uncertainties of novel strategies to tackle climate change

The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) has published a detailed assessment of the implications of using climate geoengineering to limit global warming. Approaches considered include the large-scale removal of greenhouse gases from the atmosphere, as assumed in nearly all climate models that limit the increase in mean global temperature to below 2°C.

“A rapid transition to a low-carbon economy is the priority to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and in turn
reduce the adverse impacts of climate change, including impacts on biodiversity,” said CBD Executive
Secretary, Braulio Ferreira de Souza Dias, in the foreword of the new report.

“However, given the current atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations, their long atmospheric residence
times and the relatively limited action to date to reduce future emissions, the use of geoengineering
techniques has been suggested and is being explored as a potential additional means to limit the magnitude
of climate change.”