Pioneering exhibition: Fixing Futures” addresses the climate crisis!

Pioneering exhibition: Fixing Futures” addresses the climate crisis!

The discussion about geoengineering and its role in the fight against climate change is becoming increasingly important. The MGGU Giersch Museum at the Goethe University takes place fromApril 5, 2025 to August 31, 2025The exhibition “Fixing Futures” takes place, which deals intensively with the challenges of climate change. The official opening with a public vernissage is forApril 4, 2025 at 7 p.mplanned. This exhibition deals, among other things, with the topic of geoengineering and the resulting ethical issues.

The exhibition is divided into several thematic areas, including environmental crises, digitality, quantum computing and decolonial perspectives. Superflux’s installation “The Seas Are No Longer Dying” highlights speculative projects to save the environment. Technical discussions, like those of Dr. Nico Wunderling and Prof. Dr. The discussion led by Joachim Curtius about the risks of the 1.5 degree target illustrates scientists' concerns regarding biodiversity loss and resource scarcity. Artists like Samira Akbarian and Tega Brain contribute to the critical examination of these topics.

Geoengineering: A double-edged sword

Geoengineering refers to a range of technologies that aim to combat climate change through targeted interventions in the Earth system. These techniques are broadly divided into two categories: Solar Radiation Management (SRM) and Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR). SRM refers to measures such as injecting aerosols into the stratosphere to reflect sunlight and thus slow global warming in the short term. CDR, on the other hand, focuses on removing CO₂ from the atmosphere, for example through direct air capture or ocean fertilization. Despite the innovative power of these technologies, the risks and uncertain side effects are high, which is emphatically emphasized by experts like those at [TechZeitgeist].

According to [ETH Zurich], solar geoengineering can temporarily mitigate some of the negative impacts of climate change, but it does not solve the underlying problem. Global greenhouse gas emissions are not falling dramatically and there is a risk of irreversible ecological tipping points. The need to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions to net zero is increasingly recognized, although geoengineering should only be viewed as a complementary tool.

Economic and ethical challenges

The financial aspects of geoengineering are also complex. It is estimated that around175 trillion dollarsnecessary to reduce the mean global temperature by 1.6 degrees Celsius. Additionally, the cost and energy intensity of producing techniques such as synthetic diamond dust need to be examined in more detail, as alternative approaches such as the use of calcite may be more cost-effective. The ethical challenges are profound: who makes the decision about the use of such technologies and to what extent can they be used?

International committees are working on developing regulations for the use of geoengineering technologies. It is crucial to combine technological innovations with social responsibility and to take the long-term perspectives of research into account. The debate about geoengineering is not only a question of technical feasibility, but also of the moral implications and the social mandate to deal with the climate crisis.

The “Fixing Futures” exhibition will not only address the current state of technology, but also initiate complex discussions about risks and opportunities. Admission to this important show costs 7 euros for adults, 5 euros for concessions, while under 18s and school classes enjoy free entry. The opening times are from Tuesday to Sunday between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. and on Thursdays even until 8 p.m.

For further information about the exhibition and press registration, please contact Christine Karmann presse@mggu.de available.