Geoengineering – the deliberate, large-scale intervention in the Earth’s climate system – is the subject of continuing speculation by researchers from many disciplines. The notion is that if our efforts to combat climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions are too little or too late, we may have to try to change the climate deliberately.
The feasibility of such actions is very much uncertain and the potential risks are substantial. Even seriously considering various schemes is highly controversial, much less advocating their implementation. Three research projects in Great Britain have taken on the task of trying to assess the validity and potential dangers of geoengineering schemes. Recently, results from all three projects were presented at an event held at the Royal Society in London.
Geoengineering proposals basically fall into two categories: solar geoengineering that attempts to cool the Earth by reflecting more of the sun’s radiation back into space; and carbon dioxide geoengineering that attempts to cool the Earth by removing carbon dioxide in large quantities.
The overall results of the studies are that geoengineering would likely be much more expensive and technically challenging than earlier thought and that the benefits of most proposed techniques would be more limited than anticipated. None of the proposed approaches would constitute a quick fix for climate change.
There is also the prevailing thought that geoengineering is “messing with nature” and is intrinsically unwise. All the experts agreed that pursuing the full-scale deployment of geoengineering would be the clearest indication that we have failed in our role as planetary stewards.
**********
.
Web Links
Geoengineering our climate is not a ‘quick fix’
Photo, posted December 31, 2010, courtesy of the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center via Flickr.
.
Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.