About this speaker
Burgess’ research explores the governance of climate interventions (technologies which can artificially modify the climate at global or regional scales) such as solar geoengineering. Whether or not Canada and the world chooses to deploy climate interventions, robust governance mechanisms must be in place to ensure these technologies are managed responsibly, ethically, and equitably. The specific goal of his research is to disaggregate the challenges of solar geoengineering into different levels of governance, (such as international, nation-state, sub-national, and non-governmental) to support the generation of polycentric governance regimes.
Prior to his PhD, Burgess was a Policy Analyst with Natural Resources Canada, working on project management and regulatory approval of energy infrastructure, next generation energy technologies, and Indigenous consultation. Burgess also held a United Nations Association of Canada Internship, studying climate change and the mining sector in Mongolia.
He is the 2024/2025 Cadieux-Léger Fellow at Global Affairs Canada, an Affiliate Researcher with the United Nations World Climate Research Program, a member of The Waterloo Climate Intervention Strategies Lab, the Balsillie School’s Environment and Resources Research Cluster Support Officer, a member of the Balsillie School’s Climate Action Committee, and a graduate of the Science Policy Research Unit (SPRU) at the University of Sussex.
