A multiplicity of tomorrows from ‘giving the world cancer’ to ‘colonizing space’: Imagining 299 climate intervention futures from a foresight exercise across 44 focus groups

In the context of increasing global warming, alternative climate intervention strategies are gaining prominence in policy, scientific, media, and public discourse. This study provides novel insights into public perceptions of these interventions, and the foreseeable changes for the near future, thro...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Sovacool, Benjamin, Fritz, Livia, Baum, Chad M., Debnath, Ramit, Cantoni, Roberto, Martori Adrian, Francesc
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2026
País:España
Institución:Universitat Ramon Llull (URL)
Repositorio:DAU Arxiu Digital de la Universitat Ramon Llull
OAI Identifier:oai:dnet:dau_________::49365fb13d5dc2f7006aedbce2edc464
Acceso en línea:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14342/6207
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2026.104367
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Climate change mitigation
Canvis climàtics--Mitigació
Solar radiation
Radiació solar
Carbon dioxide mitigation
Anhídrid carbònic--Mitigació
Climatic changes--Forecasting
Canvis climàtics--Previsió
Public opinion
Opinió pública
316
502
614
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spelling A multiplicity of tomorrows from ‘giving the world cancer’ to ‘colonizing space’: Imagining 299 climate intervention futures from a foresight exercise across 44 focus groupsSovacool, BenjaminFritz, LiviaBaum, Chad M.Debnath, RamitCantoni, RobertoMartori Adrian, FrancescClimate change mitigationCanvis climàtics--MitigacióSolar radiationRadiació solarCarbon dioxide mitigationAnhídrid carbònic--MitigacióClimatic changes--ForecastingCanvis climàtics--PrevisióPublic opinionOpinió pública316502614In the context of increasing global warming, alternative climate intervention strategies are gaining prominence in policy, scientific, media, and public discourse. This study provides novel insights into public perceptions of these interventions, and the foreseeable changes for the near future, through a global foresight exercise involving 44 focus groups across 22 countries, evenly divided between the Global North (e.g. Australia, Germany, United States) and the Global South (e.g., Brazil, India, South Africa). Engaging 323 participants, the study explored imagined futures where climate interventions—such as solar radiation modification and large-scale carbon removal—are widely implemented in 2030. The participants generated 299 distinct futures, each characterized by an imagined newspaper headline, key actor(s), events and specific outcomes. In this paper, these futures are analyzed across the dimensions of technology, societal impact, actor networks, and in terms of spatial and scalar considerations. The findings reveal an extraordinary diversity of futures, ranging from optimistic futures of technological innovation and disease eradication to pessimistic futures of ecological disruption, the spread of cancer, and social inequities. This study underscores the plurality of perspectives on climate intervention futures, reflecting the interplay of cultural, geopolitical, and technological factors. By illuminating the breadth of futures, these findings provide timely insights to inform the development of inclusive, culturally sensitive climate policies at a critical juncture in the global response to climate change.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionElsevierUniversitat Ramon Llull. IQS202620262026info:eu-repo/semantics/articlep.15application/pdfhttp://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14342/6207https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2026.104367reponame:DAU Arxiu Digital de la Universitat Ramon Llullinstname:Universitat Ramon Llull (URL)InglésEnvironmental Science & Policy 2026, 178, 104367info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/EC/ERC/H2020© L'autor/aAttribution 4.0 Internationalhttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:dnet:dau_________::49365fb13d5dc2f7006aedbce2edc4642026-06-21T06:40:37Z
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv A multiplicity of tomorrows from ‘giving the world cancer’ to ‘colonizing space’: Imagining 299 climate intervention futures from a foresight exercise across 44 focus groups
title A multiplicity of tomorrows from ‘giving the world cancer’ to ‘colonizing space’: Imagining 299 climate intervention futures from a foresight exercise across 44 focus groups
spellingShingle A multiplicity of tomorrows from ‘giving the world cancer’ to ‘colonizing space’: Imagining 299 climate intervention futures from a foresight exercise across 44 focus groups
Sovacool, Benjamin
Climate change mitigation
Canvis climàtics--Mitigació
Solar radiation
Radiació solar
Carbon dioxide mitigation
Anhídrid carbònic--Mitigació
Climatic changes--Forecasting
Canvis climàtics--Previsió
Public opinion
Opinió pública
316
502
614
title_short A multiplicity of tomorrows from ‘giving the world cancer’ to ‘colonizing space’: Imagining 299 climate intervention futures from a foresight exercise across 44 focus groups
title_full A multiplicity of tomorrows from ‘giving the world cancer’ to ‘colonizing space’: Imagining 299 climate intervention futures from a foresight exercise across 44 focus groups
title_fullStr A multiplicity of tomorrows from ‘giving the world cancer’ to ‘colonizing space’: Imagining 299 climate intervention futures from a foresight exercise across 44 focus groups
title_full_unstemmed A multiplicity of tomorrows from ‘giving the world cancer’ to ‘colonizing space’: Imagining 299 climate intervention futures from a foresight exercise across 44 focus groups
title_sort A multiplicity of tomorrows from ‘giving the world cancer’ to ‘colonizing space’: Imagining 299 climate intervention futures from a foresight exercise across 44 focus groups
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Sovacool, Benjamin
Fritz, Livia
Baum, Chad M.
Debnath, Ramit
Cantoni, Roberto
Martori Adrian, Francesc
author Sovacool, Benjamin
author_facet Sovacool, Benjamin
Fritz, Livia
Baum, Chad M.
Debnath, Ramit
Cantoni, Roberto
Martori Adrian, Francesc
author_role author
author2 Fritz, Livia
Baum, Chad M.
Debnath, Ramit
Cantoni, Roberto
Martori Adrian, Francesc
author2_role author
author
author
author
author
dc.contributor.none.fl_str_mv Universitat Ramon Llull. IQS
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Climate change mitigation
Canvis climàtics--Mitigació
Solar radiation
Radiació solar
Carbon dioxide mitigation
Anhídrid carbònic--Mitigació
Climatic changes--Forecasting
Canvis climàtics--Previsió
Public opinion
Opinió pública
316
502
614
topic Climate change mitigation
Canvis climàtics--Mitigació
Solar radiation
Radiació solar
Carbon dioxide mitigation
Anhídrid carbònic--Mitigació
Climatic changes--Forecasting
Canvis climàtics--Previsió
Public opinion
Opinió pública
316
502
614
description In the context of increasing global warming, alternative climate intervention strategies are gaining prominence in policy, scientific, media, and public discourse. This study provides novel insights into public perceptions of these interventions, and the foreseeable changes for the near future, through a global foresight exercise involving 44 focus groups across 22 countries, evenly divided between the Global North (e.g. Australia, Germany, United States) and the Global South (e.g., Brazil, India, South Africa). Engaging 323 participants, the study explored imagined futures where climate interventions—such as solar radiation modification and large-scale carbon removal—are widely implemented in 2030. The participants generated 299 distinct futures, each characterized by an imagined newspaper headline, key actor(s), events and specific outcomes. In this paper, these futures are analyzed across the dimensions of technology, societal impact, actor networks, and in terms of spatial and scalar considerations. The findings reveal an extraordinary diversity of futures, ranging from optimistic futures of technological innovation and disease eradication to pessimistic futures of ecological disruption, the spread of cancer, and social inequities. This study underscores the plurality of perspectives on climate intervention futures, reflecting the interplay of cultural, geopolitical, and technological factors. By illuminating the breadth of futures, these findings provide timely insights to inform the development of inclusive, culturally sensitive climate policies at a critical juncture in the global response to climate change.
publishDate 2026
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2026
2026
2026
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
format article
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14342/6207
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2026.104367
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14342/6207
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2026.104367
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv Inglés
language_invalid_str_mv Inglés
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv Environmental Science & Policy 2026, 178, 104367
info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/EC/ERC/H2020
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv © L'autor/a
Attribution 4.0 International
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
rights_invalid_str_mv © L'autor/a
Attribution 4.0 International
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv p.15
application/pdf
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv Elsevier
publisher.none.fl_str_mv Elsevier
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv reponame:DAU Arxiu Digital de la Universitat Ramon Llull
instname:Universitat Ramon Llull (URL)
instname_str Universitat Ramon Llull (URL)
reponame_str DAU Arxiu Digital de la Universitat Ramon Llull
collection DAU Arxiu Digital de la Universitat Ramon Llull
repository.name.fl_str_mv
repository.mail.fl_str_mv
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score 15,808905

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