Technology, law and ethics: Regulating the risks of the Anthropocene

This research analyses and examines the key themes of technology, law, and ethics when considering the environmental threats and opportunities associated with the proposed epoch of Anthropocene. The paper explores the nature of emerging technologies as containing the solution to one crisis and raising new worries and ethical considerations for another, for instance, geoengineering and renewable energy. A large emphasis is made on the effectiveness of various international environmental treaties such as the Paris Accord and the Kyoto Protocol in addressing Technological development is a realm where change is constant, and it tends to progress faster than the legal framework, for instance, the Paris Accord and Kyoto Protocol. The research compares the normative principles used in tackling technologies with uncertain long-term impacts including the precautionary principle, sustainable development and the Common but Differentiated Responsibilities. This research engages doctrinal legal analysis and case-study approaches to geoengineering and renewable energy respectively as a qualitative method to reveal and map gaps in the governance of geoengineering, and to understand and present ethical issues of generational equity and justice and the weakness of regulatory frameworks. It offers practical advice on how the advancement of technology should be made compatible with ecological responsibility; the key topic of the current Anthropocene era is the blueprint of strong legal frameworks as well as ethical solution.