Companies and researchers have begun testing ways to geoengineer the ocean and atmosphere at planetary scales to address climate change – by adding chemicals to seawater across the globe to pull carbon out of the air, or by reflecting sunlight away from Earth to hold down temperatures. These techniques are poorly understood, incredibly dangerous, and largely unregulated, but outdoor experiments are already underway. Friends of the Earth is working to prevent the commercialization and deployment of these risky geoengineering schemes before they take hold.
The Campaigner carries much of the day-to-day work of this effort. This is an unusually interdisciplinary job – in a given month, it could involve working through oceanography or atmospheric research to understand what a proposed experiment would actually do, drafting a comment on a federal permit application, coordinating with coalition partners ranging from scientists to fishing associations, and preparing materials for international treaty talks. The science and politics of geoengineering are still young and taking shape, and so effective campaign work can have an outsized impact. Within established campaign plans, the Campaigner independently manages assigned projects, conducts research and analysis, and cultivates relationships with coalition partners. The role contributes to campaign strategy and policy development by providing research, analysis, and implementation support. This position requires traveling 3-4 times per year for periods of a couple of days through one week each, sometimes internationally.