Wow, that must win an award for the worst piece of science journalism on geoengineering ever. Space mirrors colliding with stars? I think not... (I had to read that 3 times to check it was actually real). Do they not have science lessons in schools in Australia? ;-)
A On 26 September 2011 19:40, Rau, Greg <[email protected]> wrote: > > http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/local/news/general/engineering-the-eart > h-forums-big-ideas/2303296.aspx?storypage=0 > > Engineering the Earth: forum's big ideas > BY BREANNA TUCKER > 26 Sep, 2011 12:00 AM > Shading the Earth under a giant umbrella, painting roofs white and > simulating volcanic eruptions have been proposed as the latest solutions to > climate change. > The seemingly wacky set of ideas will be explored by more than 65 > scientists > today as Canberra hosts a forum on the controversial field of > geoengineering. > > This comparatively new area of science recognises that human attempts to > reduce carbon emissions will not be enough to combat climate change alone. > Instead, scientists believe they may need to fiddle with the Earth's > physical and chemical make-up to cool the planet and absorb more carbon > dioxide. > > The only problem is that all the ideas scientists have come up with so far > run the risk of creating dangerous side effects, ranging from overwhelming > cancer rates to ocean acidification. > > University of Melbourne Earth sciences professor David Karoly said > geoengineering had been debated across the US and Britain but this week's > Geoengineering the Climate symposium was the first time the issue would be > comprehensively debated in the southern hemisphere. > > ''The key thing to remember is that these strategies are designed to > compliment, or work in parallel, to our attempts to reduce the burning of > fossil fuels and creating greenhouse gases,'' he said. > > Topics for the week are split into two key strategies: to reverse global > warming by cooling the planet or to enhance removal of carbon dioxide from > the atmosphere. > > Under the cooling argument, scientists initially thought they could reflect > sunlight by painting all the roofs of the world's buildings white or by > creating an umbrella of space reflectors. > > Both ideas were dismissed as impractical given the large area that would > have to be covered and the risk of reflectors colliding with stars and > becoming space junk. > > Instead, researchers are now looking at simulating volcanic eruptions by > injecting dust and other small particles into the air. > > ''It has long been known that particles from volcanic eruptions stay in the > upper atmosphere for one to three years and can lead to a cooling of the > climate system by up to three-tenths of a degree,'' Professor Karoly said. > > But this idea has also been rejected as such particles are likely to > enhance > depletion of the ozone layer, which will let more UV rays in and increase > global rates of cancer. > > The particles would also eventually drop back down to Earth, worsening lung > disease and polluting the ocean, which would in turn increase ocean > acidification. > > Another school of researchers have suggested the thick, white clouds > created > by the smoke stacks of ships could increase cloud cover and reflect > sunlight. > > ''The major adverse impact of this one is that the changes in sunlight > would > affect rainfall patterns and, again, it wouldn't have any long-term impact > on slowing down carbon dioxide absorption, hence we would still have ocean > acidification.'' > > On the issue of absorbing carbon dioxide, scientists are exploring simple > concepts such as planting more trees, changing farming practices to improve > carbon absorption in soil and storing carbon underground to fuel coal > factories. > > A more complex idea of injecting iron into the ocean, to help marine algae > and photoplankton absorb more carbon, have also been explored but were > found > to have only short-term effects. > > Mr Karoly said a number of scientists were excited by the idea of > geoengineering but many were also concerned that ill-informed policies > could > make the world even worse-off than it is today. > > ''I find it concerning because it reminds me of the times when Australia > brought in cane toads to solve the problem of the sugar cane beetle,'' he > said. > > ''We are looking at technological solutions with adverse impacts that could > leave us in a situation that could be worse than the problem we first set > out to tackle. > > ''Before any specific initiatives take place we need to have more research > and more open discussion about the potential benefits and problems, and > that > is what this forum is all about.'' > > +The Geoengineering the Climate symposium is a joint initiative of the > Australian Academy of Science and the Academy of Technological Sciences and > Engineering. It will run today and tomorrow at The Shine Dome, in Canberra. > > -- > 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.
