UBFCCC SBSTA not really the place for such a report. What's wrong with the
AR5 process?

On Sun, Jan 2, 2011 at 11:21 PM, Josh Horton <[email protected]>wrote:

> At the same time, raising the profile of geoengineering on the
> international agenda would probably result in increased funding and
> additional resources.  IPCC may not be the right vehicle.  Maybe a
> UNFCCC subsidiary body?  A focused, strategic effort could give
> research a shot in the arm.
>
> Josh
>
>
> On Jan 2, 11:35 am, Ken Caldeira <[email protected]>
> wrote:
> > It is not clear to me that doing an IPCC report on geoengineering would
> be
> > an effective use of everybody's time. People are already starting to plan
> > the treatment of geoengineering in AR5 with a meeting coming up in Peru
> in
> > June. These IPCC processes are notoriously time consuming.
> >
> > There really is not that much research going on because funding in this
> area
> > is extremely limited. My own sense is that at this point most scientists
> > involved in this area could benefit by spending more time in their labs
> and
> > offices doing science and less time going to meetings talking about
> > non-science.
> >
> > Geoengineering is an area where the ratio of talk to actual new facts is
> > startlingly high.
> >
> > We recently had the Royal Society report. How much has changed since
> then?
> >
> > ___________________________________________________
> > Ken Caldeira
> >
> > Carnegie Institution Dept of Global Ecology
> > 260 Panama Street, Stanford, CA 94305 USA
> > +1 650 704 7212 [email protected]://
> dge.stanford.edu/labs/caldeiralab @kencaldeira
> >
> >
> >
> > On Sun, Jan 2, 2011 at 4:15 AM, Emily <[email protected]> wrote:
> > > Dear All,
> >
> > > I proposed to Yvo DeBoer in 1008 that he might like to request the IPCC
> to
> > > complete a rapid special report on Active mitigation options such as
> > > geo-engineering. This might follow the report series the IPCC have done
> on
> > > renewables etc.
> >
> > > At that point Yvo felt that the IPCC coverage of geo-eng in the AR4
> would
> > > cover it.
> >
> > > Perhaps we could make a stronger case for IPCC to do something useful
> on
> > > geo-eng.  The new UNFCCC leadership and also the post Copenhagen /
> Cancun
> > > context may help gain an IPCC review of options and secure greater
> dialogue
> > > and inclusion in the UNFCCC texts, such as in the KP, LCA, REDD or CDM
> text.
> >
> > > where would it best be in the UNFCCC text and what would it need to
> say.
> >
> > > The KP and LCA text already talks about  'reduction of emissions and
> > > removal by sinks' How can this be explored further?
> >
> > > best,
> >
> > > Emily.
> >
> > > On 30/12/2010 14:22, John Nissen wrote:
> >
> > >> Thanks, John for these reduction requirements.  They are clearly
> > >> impossible to achieve, but even if they could be achieved would not
> > >> guarantee keeping within 2 degrees this century.  And 2 degrees is far
> from
> > >> safe.  We have no option but to remove CO2 from the atmosphere (CDR)
> at an
> > >> increasing rate until the removal is faster than the addition from
> > >> emissions.  But what's the timescale?  Is global warming the most
> immediate
> > >> threat?
> >
> > >> Ocean acidification is proceeding at an alarming rate.  It will soon
> reach
> > >> a level in the Arctic where shells cannot form and the marine food
> chain is
> > >> affected [1] [2].  Thus we have only a decade or two to reduce CO2
> levels
> > >> below 350 ppm.  CO2 removal becomes imperative, and has to reach the
> rate of
> > >> emissions within a decade so that the CO2 level starts falling.
> >
> > >> On top of these problems we have the Arctic sea ice retreat, which has
> to
> > >> be halted to avoid massive methane discharge from permafrost otherwise
> all
> > >> plans to halt global warming would be trashed.  CO2 reduction will not
> have
> > >> any appreciable effect in the timescales - so we have to cool the
> Arctic
> > >> quickly [3].  We have no option but use solar radiation management
> (SRM),
> > >> possibly supplemented by other more specific measures to retain the
> sea ice.
> >
> > >> My sincere hope for 2011 is that the necessity for these urgent
> actions -
> > >> both CDR and SRM types of geoengineering - will finally be recognised
> in
> > >> international negotiations, to put our global society on a new safe
> path
> > >> towards a successful future [4].  Please help in lobbying for this.
> >
> > >> Best wishes for the New Year,
> >
> > >> John
> >
> > >> [1]http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100603092018.htm
> >
> > >> [2]http://www.bitsofscience.org/ocean-acidification-faster-438/
> >
> > >> [3]http://www.catlin.com/cgl/media/press_releases/pr_2009/209-10-15/
> >
> > >> [4]
> > >>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collapse:_How_Societies_Choose_to_Fail_o.
> ..
> > >> See especially Chapter 14 "Why do some societies make disastrous
> > >> decisions?"
> >
> > >> ---
> >
> > >> On Tue, Dec 21, 2010 at 10:54 AM, John Gorman <[email protected]
> <mailto:
> > >> [email protected]>> wrote:
> >
> > >>    Thanks, Emily, for finding this FoE report
> > >>    The report (1) looks at the emissions from each country now, and
> > >>    projections for 2020 and 2050. I did the same,from a different
> > >>    perspective, for my document "Why Copenhagen Failed" (2) so I have
> > >>    checked their calculations and they are correct.
> > >>    These are the reductions that would be required from the largest
> > >>    eight emitters by 2020 in order to keep within the 2 degree C
> > >>    rise;(in alphabetical order)
> > >>    Canada     80% reduction by 2020
> > >>    China       20% reduction by 2020
> > >>    Germany  63% reduction by 2020
> > >>    India       63% /increase/ by 2020
> > >>    Japan      65% reduction by 2020
> > >>    Russia    80% reduction by 2020
> > >>    UK         57%reduction by  2020
> > >>    USA       80% reduction by 2020
> > >>    Notes
> > >>    -These figures contain no fudges like "emissions intensity" or
> > >>    basing reductions on 1990. Reductions are from now -and real.
> > >>    -The 20% reduction for China is just as impossible as the 80% for
> > >>    the USA. China expects 300 million people to move from subsistence
> > >>    agriculture to the towns by 2030 and predicted 100% increase.
> > >>    -The increase allowed to India is due to the very low per capita
> > >>    emission now but is still far less than their post Copenhagen
> > >>    prediction of 100% increase.(3)
> > >>    The obvious impossibility of achieving these reductions is the
> > >>    central argument for geoengineering research -now.
> > >>    John Gorman
> > >>    (1)
> >
> > >>http://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-files/Environment/documents/2010/12/1.
> ..
> > >>    <
> > >>http://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-files/Environment/documents/2010/12/1.
> ..
> >
> > >>    (2)http://www.naturaljointmobility.info/WhyCopenhagenFailed.htm
> > >>    <http://www.naturaljointmobility.info/WhyCopenhagenFailed.htm>
> > >>    (3)Last page of letter to Chris Huhne UK Minister for Energy at
> > >>    http://www.naturaljointmobility.info/letters.htm
> > >>    <http://www.naturaljointmobility.info/letters.htm>
> >
> > >>    ----- Original Message -----
> > >>    From: "Emily" < [email protected] <mailto:
> [email protected]> >
> > >>    To: "geo-engineering grp" < [email protected]
> > >>    <mailto:[email protected]>
> >
> > >>    Sent: Wednesday, December 15, 2010 4:37 PM
> > >>    Subject: [geo] geo eng and new Friends of the Earth EWNI report
> > >>    urges very
> > >>    deep and rapid emission cuts
> >
> > >>    Hi,
> >
> > >>    please read the last sentence in particular: FoE now join WWF in
> > >>    accepting the possible need for geo-engineering. I agree with this
> > >>    analysis.
> >
> > >>    I am trying to track down a link tot he report - if you have one,
> > >>    please
> > >>    circulate.
> > >>    manyt hanks and Best wishes,
> > >>    Emily.
> >
> > >>    RECKLESS GAMBLERS
> > >>    key conclusions..
> >
> > >>    • Recent climate science and risk analysis
> >
> > >>    show that there is now a
> >
> > >>    very small remaining safe level of
> >
> > >>    greenhouse gas emissions compatible
> >
> > >>    with preventing dangerous climate
> >
> > >>    change.
> >
> > >>    • A 2 degrees temperature rise can
> >
> > >>    no longer be considered “safe”; even
> >
> > >>    1.5 degrees carries with it major risks.
> >
> > >>    • Even a Global Carbon Budget of
> >
> > >>    1100 Gigatonnes of CO 2 equivalent
> >
> > >>    from now to 2050, which would
> >
> > >>    give a 75% chance of exceeding
> >
> > >>    1.5 degrees, and a 30% chance of
> >
> > >>    exceeding 2 degrees, would require
> >
> > >>    unprecedented emissions reductions
> >
> > >>    which go far beyond those currently
> >
> > >>    contemplated by politicians. Reducing
> >
> > >>    risks further would require even
> >
> > >>    tougher action.
> >
> > >>    • If dangerous climate change is to
> >
> > >>    be averted it will require immediate
> >
> > >>    and significant changes to how we
> >
> > >>    fuel our economies in virtually all
> >
> > >>    countries, it will require systemic
> >
> > >>    action across all sectors of the
> >
> > >>    economies of all countries.
> >
> > >>    • As leaders of countries with large
> >
> > >>    historical and current emissions,
> >
> > >>    politicians in developed countries must
> >
> > >>    shoulder the blame for increasing
> >
> > >>    the risk of dangerous climate
> >
> > >>    change. They will need to make deep
> >
> > >>    emissions reductions and provide
> >
> > >>    hundreds of billions of dollars for
> >
> > >>    developing countries to grow without
> >
> > >>    carbon-intensive energy.
> >
> > >>    • Living within the small remaining
> >
> > >>    global carbon budget, if shared out
> >
> > >>    on an equal per capita basis between
> >
> > >>    2010 and 2050, would require
> >
> > >>    reductions in emissions in developed
> >
> > >>    countries of around 8-15 per cent
> >
> > >>    per annum, immediate emissions
> >
> > >>    reductions in some developing
> >
> > >>    countries, an early peak and decline
> >
> > >>    in emissions in others, and some
> >
> > >>    countries would be able to continue
> >
> > >>    to increase emissions from their very
> >
> > >>    low baseline. These are just illustrative
> >
> > >>    figures, not prescriptions but if one
> >
> > >>    group of countries emits more than
> >
> > >>    these amounts, it would require
> >
> > >>    corresponding reductions in what
> >
> > >>    other countries emit and the scope for
> >
> > >>    this is now very limited. Achieving cuts
> >
> > >>    in developing countries will require
> >
> > >>    substantial financial and technology
> >
> > >>    transfers from developed countries.
> >
> > >>    • Urgent research and debate needs
> >
> > >>    to be carried out - alongside urgent
> >
> > >>    action to reduce emissions - to identify
> >
> > >>    exactly how to share out the remaining
> >
> > >>    global carbon budget and whether
> >
> > >>    these reductions are technically
> >
> > >>    possible and, if not, whether
> >
> > >>    approaches using negative emissions
> >
> > >>    or even geo-engineering
> >
> > ...
> >
> > read more »
>
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Oliver Morton
Energy and Environment Editor
The Economist

+44 7971 064 059

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