Dear Jim,
Thanks for your response. I am not so gloomy about our ability to cool
the Arctic, but the challenge gets more forbidding each month that we
wait. It will probably require a combination of methods - e.g.
stratospheric aerosols and marine cloud brightening. Also it would be
help to reduce levels of black carbon.
I cannot prove that the loss of sea ice would be a point of no return.
However, I can argue that geoengineering should be tried, to reduce the
risk of catastrophe of methane release and Greenland ice sheet
disintegration. Countries do have authority, even a mandate, to take
action to protect their citizens, under the UNFCCC Article 3, even when
there is a lack of full scientific certainty [1].
Still, I can't expect you to change your mind. I am just sad that so
much effort has gone into discrediting geoengineering, when it seems
essential to tackle the collosal challenges ahead to rescue the planet
for the enjoyment of future generations. Nobody seems to want to face
up to these challenges - emissions reductions are part of the solution,
but not the whole solution. We have to pull out all the stops. There
is no precedent in human history.
The first step is to admit that we must cool the Arctic and
geoengineering has to be involved. To have this as a
post-script to the book would be tremendous!
Best wishes,
John
[1]
http://unfccc.int/essential_background/convention/background/items/1355.php
---
James R. Fleming wrote:
Dear John,
The epigraph attached to the book’s introduction is
“In facing unprecedented challenges, it is good to consider historical
precedents.”
Overall the book argues against the scientific hubris of planetary
intervention and for the middle path of mitigation and adaptation.
Florida just about disappeared at the peak of the last interglacial
and it may do so again this time, with some assistance from humans.
None of us has the authority to “cool the Arctic,” nor a clue on how to
do it.
Sincerely,
Jim Fleming
James Fleming
Professor of Science, Technology and Society
Colby College
5881 Mayflower Hill
Waterville, ME 04901
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 207-859-5881
Fax: 207-859-5846
Atmosphere Blog: http://web.colby.edu/jfleming
On 8/25/10 7:43 AM, "John Nissen" <[email protected]> wrote:
Dear James,
You make good historical arguments for not being over-confident about
our ability to be successful in climate intervention, but we have an
unprecedented situation with the warming of the Arctic and hence the
risk of global catastrophes from massive methane release and Greenland
ice sheet disintegration. Emissions reductions cannot act in time to
cool the Arctic. Even if emissions could be stopped overnight, global
warming would continue for this century. Can you suggest a means to
cool the Arctic in time to prevent catastrophe becoming inevitable?
Kind regards,
John
---
James R. Fleming wrote:
Fixing the Sky just published by Columbia
University Press Here is the link to my new book, Fixing the Sky:
The checkered history of weather and climate control,
http://www.cup.columbia.edu/book/978-0-231-14412-4/fixing-the-sky
Use the promo code “FLX20” to receive a 20% discount.
Jim Fleming
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