A Bright Green Argument for Geoengineering
Posted on 16. Jun, 2009 by admin in FullContent
Jamais wrote an excellent opinion piece in the WSJ arguing for geoengineering research and experimentation.
While I disagree with his conclusion and find geoengineering a poor strategy for getting us out the the troubles we’re in, his piece is really worth reading. He manages to steer clear of offering political cover to denialists (who have been using the idea of geoengineering to deny the need for emissions reductions), yet make a really cogent, clear argument about what he thinks geoengineering itself means and can and cannot do. It is, when all’s said and done, a bright green argument for engineering the Earth:
With all of these drawbacks, why would I consider myself an advocate of geoengineering, no matter how reluctant? Because I believe the alternative would be worse.
The global institutions we rely on to deal with a problem like climate change seem unable to look past short-term roadblocks and regional interests. At the same time, climate scientists are shouting louder than ever about the speed and intensity of environmental changes coming from global warming.
In short, although we know what to do to stop global warming, we’re running out of time to do it and show no interest in moving faster. So here’s where geoengineering steps in: It gives us time to act.
That’s if it’s done wisely. It’s imperative that we increase funding for geoengineering research, building the kinds of models and simulations necessary to allow us to weed out the approaches with dangerous, surprising consequences.
Good job, Jamais!
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(Posted by Alex Steffen in Imagining the Future at 8:54 PM)
