Earth is warming at an unprecedented rate due to anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions. This was recognised at the 2015 Paris Climate Convention (COP21) in 2015 who agreed to limit warming at 2°C or less. Emission reductions are essential to help mitigate further warming, but we are already likely to exceed this 2°C warming. In response, COP21 recognised that some form of ‘negative emissions’ is required to stay within the 2°C warming target.

It is timely to explore what negative emissions options are available or could be developed in coming decades.  Climate Intervention, (also termed “geoengineering”) is one potential suite of technologies that could mitigate climate change effects through CO2 removal or Solar Radiation Management. Therefore there is an urgent need to assess to what extent climate intervention could help mitigate or reverse the effects of climate change, and to assess the potential risks and benefits of different approaches, particularly at the regional scale.

To ensure that Australia plays a leading role and has a strong international voice, a holistic approach across the humanities, arts, and sciences is needed; bringing us into line with other nations. This conference aims to explore negative emissions technologies holistically from practicality, feasibility, and environmental/societal impact perspectives.

The conference is sponsored by the National Committee for Earth System Science, the Australian National University, CSIRO, University of Tasmania and the Australian Research Council.