Hi Josh, Thanks for that. It could be very useful to know, as I may just possibly be meeting Ms Figueres later this month, thanks to a high-flying neighbour who knows her! He also knows Lord Stern, of the Stern Review, to whom I have written without effect, but Ms Figueres seems to be more open to CDR possibilities! She may also be interested in the Methane Workshop - September 3-4th - that I'm organising.
Critical to CDR could be the cost. Unfortunately a body of scientists in the US has come out with a very high cost - at over $600 per tC (tonne of carbon) [1]. This needs to be repudiated. Oliver Tickell reckons that rock grinding could work out at only a few dollars per tC - it would be done with renewable energy of course. And biochar is potentially self-funding - with advantages of soil improvement, etc. Cheers, John [1] http://www.inewsone.com/2011/05/10/direct-removal-of-co2-from-air-impractical-scientists/49447 --- On Tue, Jun 7, 2011 at 2:18 PM, Josh Horton <[email protected]>wrote: > The UNFCCC Executive Secretary has raised the possibility of negative > emissions ... > > > > > http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/jun/05/global-warming-suck-greenhouse-gases?intcmp=122 > > Global warming crisis may mean world has to suck greenhouse gases from > air > As Bonn talks begin, UN climate chief warns of temperature goals set > too low and clock ticking on climate change action > > Fiona Harvey, environment correspondent > guardian.co.uk, Sunday 5 June 2011 18.10 BST > Article history > > The world may have to resort to technology that sucks greenhouse gases > from the air to stave off the worst effects of global warming, the UN > climate change chief has said before talks on the issue beginning on > Monday. > > "We are putting ourselves in a scenario where we will have to develop > more powerful technologies to capture emissions out of the > atmosphere," said Christiana Figueres, executive secretary of the UN > Framework Convention on Climate Change. "We are getting into very > risky territory," she added, stressing that time was running out. > > The UN climate talks starting on Monday in Bonn, which run for the > next two weeks, will try to revive the negotiations before the next > climate conference, taking place in Durban, South Africa, in December. > But little progress is expected, as the negotiating time is likely to > be taken up with details such as rules on monitoring emissions. > > Figueres tried to inject a greater sense of urgency into the > proceedings by pointing to research from the International Energy > Agency that found that emissions had soared last year by a record > amount. The strong rise means it will take more effort by governments > to curb emissions. > > Figueres told the Guardian in an interview that governments should act > now to save money: "We add $1 trillion to the cost [of tackling > climate change] with every year of delay." > > However, as the latest talks begin, the world's leading climate change > official has upset governments by insisting that the aim of the > negotiations ought to be to hold warming to less than 1.5C. That would > be a much tougher goal than that set by governments last year, which > seeks to limit the temperature rise to no more than 2C – the safety > threshold, scientists say, beyond which warming becomes catastrophic > and irreversible. > > "In my book, there is no way we can stick to the goal that we know is > completely unacceptable to the most exposed [countries]," Figueres > said. > > The difference between the two goals may not seem great, but since it > has taken more than 20 years of talks for countries to agree on the 2C > limit, many are unwilling to reopen the debate. Delegates are > conscious that wrangling over whether to stick to 1.5C or 2C was one > of the main sources of conflict at the Copenhagen climate summit in > 2009; the hope has been that talks can move on to other issues such as > how to pay for emissions curbs in poorer countries. > > "This is an extraordinary intervention," said one official involved in > the climate talks, who could not be named. > > Figueres said that she had the support of the world's least developed > countries, most of Africa, and small island states. > > Another factor casting a pall over this year's talks, which are > intended to forge a new global treaty on climate change, is criticism > of the South African government, which will host the Durban talks. No > interim meetings have yet been set up, and countries have complained > of disorganisation and a lack of enthusiasm. But Figueres said: "South > Africa has been very carefully listening, trying to understand where > there are commonalities and where the weaknesses are." > > She also predicted the US would play a strong role in the talks, > despite the Obama administration facing Republican opposition in > Congress to action on emissions. "It's very evident that the > legislative body in the US has disengaged, but … the administration > continues to be engaged." she said. > > But Todd Stern, chief negotiator for the US, called for participants > in the talks to "roll up their sleeves and be constructive." > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "geoengineering" group. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > [email protected]. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/geoengineering?hl=en. > > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "geoengineering" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/geoengineering?hl=en.
