I was watching The National last night, which presented what I felt was a too-cheery piece on geoengineering, the process whereby climate is purposely altered through human intervention. The report looked at the aspect of climate intervention known as Solar Radiation Management, a process that involves putting materials into the air (often the stratosphere) to reflect sunlight and thus reduce global warming. The problem with the entire concept is that it has the potential to adversely affect billions of people.
One point that sticks in my mind from the report, however, is that the scientist interviewed stated, in answer to the objection that artificially altering our climate would be undesirable, that we are already doing so by the billions of tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions that have already accumulated in the atmosphere since industrialization began.
Take a look and see what you think. Is geoengineering inevitable? Will it become a necessity? I would be especially interested in reading the thoughts of The Mound of Sound, whose recent post explored the fact that carbon being released from our soil is about to become a huge problem in our attempts to confront climate change.
Lorne, so far it does not look encouraging with this geoengeering. Human nature of profiteering seems to prevail over concerns about climate change.
ReplyDeleteDinosaurs were extinguished by a estroid. In case of humans we seem to be facilicitating our own destruction.
I can't disagree with your assessment, LD. Despite all of the signs (and I look at your weather posts all of the time), our will to stand up for our collective survival still seems quite subdued.
DeleteDavid Keith is a snake oil salesman pushing an agenda already in progress, spraying the atmosphere...
ReplyDeletehttps://youtu.be/MVs3myr4A3w
Thanks for the information, Anon. I'll check out the link.
DeleteHi, Lorne. A huge pitfall to geoengineering is that it requires nations to commit to what is basically experimental solutions without being able to gauge much less counteract unintended consequences. As you point out, what might seem advantageous for one area can have severe impacts on others. That's why critics think it will be implemented on a 'rogue state' basis as climate change impacts threaten to undermine governments or destabilize societies in powerful nations, China for example.
ReplyDeleteAnother shortfall of geoengineering is that it does next to nothing to resolve any of the associated challenges that must be rectified if we're to have any hope of adapting to climate change.
It's an act of desperation that, at this point, is likely too little/too late in any case.
Thanks for your input, Mound. I know that you have extensively studied various aspects of climate change and related matters, so your perspective is much appreciated and valued. It would seem that the deus ex machina of a mechanical solution to climate change is a false god indeed.
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