Who has the right to alter the climate? Prof. Daniel Heyen in the RPTU Research Magazine

The current issue of the RPTU Research Magazine tackles a highly contentious question: “Who has the right to alter the climate?”

For this issue, journalist Christoph Karcher conducted an in-depth interview with Prof. Dr. Daniel Heyen, Head of the Chair of Economics, specifically Environmental Economics, within our Department of Economic Sciences.

The resulting article, titled “World-Changing Interventions Carry Major Risks,” illuminates the complex political and economic challenges of Geoengineering . The focus is particularly on Solar Radiation Management—the deliberate cooling of the Earth, for example by distributing sulfur particles in the atmosphere.

Using game-theoretical models, Prof. Heyen analyzes how international power relations, conflicts of interest, and a lack of global decision-making structures could influence the deployment of such technologies.

His research underscores a central message: Technical feasibility alone is not enough. To minimize the immense risks and prevent geopolitical conflicts, transparent, international governance structures are essential.

Click here to read the article