Stanford University recently hosted a discussion featuring climate scientist Rob Jackson and political philosopher Leif Wenar. The event, part of the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability Dean’s Lecture series, focused on the moral implications of restoring the atmosphere.
Rob Jackson, a professor of Earth system science at Stanford, outlined his vision for addressing climate change by cleaning up energy-intensive industries and agriculture, reducing personal consumption and emissions, and removing greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. He emphasized that wealthier nations need to reduce their consumption to lower global demand for polluting products. “We in wealthier nations will have to use less to reduce global demand for things that pollute,” Jackson stated.
Jackson highlighted the importance of zero-emitting technologies for transportation and clean electricity. He also stressed the role of government regulations like carbon pricing in reducing emissions from energy-intensive industries. Support from institutions is crucial for implementing new policies and technologies.
While initially skeptical about atmospheric intervention as a distraction from emission reduction efforts, Jackson’s views evolved due to inaction in previous decades. He now advocates developing technologies to remove methane, carbon dioxide, and other greenhouse gases. His book “Into the Clear Blue Sky: A Path to Restoring Our Atmosphere” explores these themes alongside environmental justice and social acceptance.
During the event, Jackson shared insights into methane leak detection and air pollution while emphasizing the need for technology paired with social movements. “We need to make ethics and environmental justice core tenets of sustainability teaching and research – as important as our groundbreaking work on new technologies,” he said.
The discussion included a Q&A session where Wenar asked why Jackson focuses on methane. Jackson explained that ending methane emissions could quickly impact warming and air pollution. “Climate change can feel impossibly large to fix,” he noted, suggesting that breaking it down into manageable parts could motivate action.
The conversation also touched on ethical considerations regarding historical industrial growth by developed nations and resource inequities. “Climate solutions allow us an opportunity to correct those historical injustices,” Jackson remarked.
Dean Arun Majumdar concluded the program by emphasizing intergenerational responsibility in addressing climate challenges holistically but at scale.
The lecture series continues Stanford’s tradition of fostering dialogue on sustainability’s frontiers through discussions with scholars like Chief Raoni Metuktire of Brazil’s Kayapó people.
