In this 86-minute presentation and Q&A, Robert Socolow and Bennett Foddy discuss some of the ethical and moral implications of geoengineering using air capture of CO2 and stratospheric sulfate aerosols. In the first 24 minutes, Socolow presents the arguments for how we got to the point where geoengineering might be needed as an emergency intervention in the climate system and why renewables and efficiency changes alone will be insufficient to prevent a 2 degree C rise from pre-industrial (the year 1865 is cited).
Four approaches to air capture using sorbents and enzymes are cited. According to Scolow, air capture, like other types of geoengineering presents a moral hazard that might reduce the motivation to mitigate emissions even as a proposed and not mature technology. Stratospheric aerosols can be used as an emergency measure, but there are negative consequences from abrupt cessation (the temperature rebound) and from the burden of maintaining a long term program. All the usual arguments presented: wars, economic problems, negative side effects. He says it is equally important to look at ways to get aerosols to work and not just focus on the problems. Twenty reasons for aerosol geoengineering anyone? Bet that one doesn't get published. Foddy uses a number of medical and other analogies from ethics to point out that geoengineering could be justified since it would be used to correct a problem we started. Some of the discussion was apparently aimed at responding to a previous talk by Richard Sommerville, who opposed geoengineering for a variety of reasons. During the Q&A, Socolow repeated the canards that aerosols will make the sky less blue and reduce photosynthesis. Again, too much reliance on conjecture and not enough on scientific observation and fact. Remember what we learned about the THREAT FROM ACID RAIN from aerosols. Socolow said he thought that small scale field tests would be helpful in identifying problems with implementation and impacts. This was discussed in more detail at a meeting last summer he participated in along with other researchers. Their report is due out this month. Two issues that were discussed were ozone depletion and aerosol coagulation. The first, I think will be found to be tolerable and even negligible. Substitute THREAT FROM OZONE DEPLETION as in previous paragraph. As to coagulation, this is a real concern, albeit as relates to how much precursor would have to be used. While it is true that Pinatubo injected 10Mt S into the stratosphere, there was only 6MT remaining after 6 months. The other 4 was probably removed as large droplets. Other possibilities are also likely with a man-made approach ranging from no useful aerosol formed (gas eventually comes out as large droplets months later), large droplets formed much sooner by adsorption onto background aerosol or the two good ones, a Pinatubo-like aerosol formed or best of all, new aerosol similar in size to the background aerosol that would require less than Pinatubo-scale releases and last longer. My guess: a combination of all four, with a Pinatubo-type aerosol dominating. Field tests answer the question, not meetings in Calif. Interestingly, Socolow said that at that R&D planning meeting, the only participant opposed to field tests was the "climate modeler." Attendees as per Socolow slide; Steve Koonin (BP), David Battisti, Jason Blackstock, Ken Caldeira, Doug Eardley, Jonathon Katz, David Keith, Ari Patrino, Daniel Schrag. Note: it is unclear how to make the video play. Just click on the symbols for Real Player and Windows Media. And if you can't figure that out, you are hereby banished to the 20th century! On my way to Schnare's talk. I've seen a draft of his slides and have recommended additional security for the speaker and others in the room in case any "Gramscian" terrorists show up. http://uc.princeton.edu/main/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=3743 Prospicience (The Art and Science of Looking Ahead) and Geoengineering (PEI series Pt 3) Speaker: Robert Socolow, Co-Director, The Carbon Mitigation Initiative and Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Princeton University Discussant: Dr. Bennett Foddy, Harold T. Shapiro Postdoctoral Fellow in Bioethics, University Center for Human Values, Princeton University low low high high (Oct 14, 2008 at Princeton University) Prospicience (The Art and Science of Looking Ahead) and Geoengineering: What If We Can Dial Our Future? As we gain understanding of the workings of our planet, we are identifying planetary-scale interventions (like injecting reflecting particles into the stratosphere) that might compensate for the unprecedented changes human actions are already creating. Suppose side effects are judged to be tolerable and ground rules for governance are developed that all nations accept. We are still left with questions about objectives: What planetary state should we seek? Should we intervene, even if we can? A textured understanding of our long-term future as a species is needed. Might this be the territory of philosophy? This is part three of a 5-part "Ethics and Climate Change" series sponsored by the Princeton Environmental Institute (PEI) and the University Center for Human Values. Professor Socolow's current research focuses on global carbon management and fossil-carbon sequestration. He is the co-principal investigator (with ecologist, Stephen Pacala) of Princeton University's Carbon Mitigation Initiative (CMI), a $20-million dollar, ten-year (2001-2010) project supported by BP and Ford. Under CMI, Princeton has launched new, coordinated research in environmental science, energy technology, geological engineering, and public policy. Additional interests include global allocation of climate mitigation responsibility, efficient use of energy, nuclear energy, and geoengineering. --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "geoengineering" group. 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