Cracking the code: how discursive structures shape climate engineering research governance

Abstract

There is increasing interest in developing anticipatory governance of climate engineering (CE) research. Discourse is the source code with which contested futures are written, shaping how future governance options can be imagined, designed and institutionalized. ‘Cracking the code’ underpinning the CE research governance debate can, therefore, help anticipate and critically reflect upon the ongoing constitution of governance. I present a sociology-of-knowledge-based discourse analysis (SKAD) of a series of interviews with governance experts from the US, the UK and Germany about a proposed Code of Conduct for climate engineering research. I illustrate how–by shaping what is defined as the object(s) of governance, why governance is considered necessary, and who is assigned the authority to govern–the underlying discursive structure of a given governance debate can shape governance development.