I belieave there is a plan for a large scale afforestation effort along the sub sahara.
"ATTEMPTS to slow down climate change by large-scale geo-engineering present ''serious risks'' and are unlikely to replace the need to cut greenhouse gas emissions, Australia's chief scientist has warned." Is not afforestation a reconized form of GE? Did I miss that part of GE 101? Also, here is a link to an oceanic c4 plant senario posted to the group which dates back to last summer. Just need 6% of the planet surface and the CO2 issue and much of the fuel issue could be handled. https://groups.google.com/d/topic/geoengineering/wyLXSagkvsw/discussion Michael On Wed, Apr 11, 2012 at 10:03 AM, Rau, Greg <[email protected]> wrote: > > "The simplest way to remove carbon from the air is the planting of forests > on a massive scale but the limitations of suitable land, water and > nutrients mean it can only play a small part in reducing emissions. > ''Estimates suggest that, at best, about 2 to 4 per cent of greenhouse gas > emissions from human activities could be offset this way,'' the report > said." > > but >50% of annual anthro CO2 emissions is already mitigated by nature's > own geoengineering. - G > > full report here: http://www.chiefscientist.gov.au/2012/04/ops1/ > > Geo-engineering 'a risk' in climate change battle > April 10, 2012 > > http://www.smh.com.au/environment/climate-change/geoengineering-a-risk-in-climate-change-battle-20120409-1wl7a.html > > ATTEMPTS to slow down climate change by large-scale geo-engineering > present ''serious risks'' and are unlikely to replace the need to cut > greenhouse gas emissions, Australia's chief scientist has warned. > > In an overview of schemes proposed by scientists, researchers at the > Office of the Chief Scientist say the main methods of planetary-scale > engineering would confront big problems with technical feasibility, > political co-operation and cost. But research should be pursued in the hope > of developing last-ditch methods to slow climate change. > > ''Given the difficulty in implementing global action to reduce CO2 > emissions from human activities and their continued growth, geo-engineering > is one possible approach to combat global warming,'' it said. > > > ''Geo-engineering would not moderate all the effects of rising emissions, > and will introduce its own risks and uncertainties.'' > > Humans already play a role in dictating the Earth's climate by adding > greenhouse gases to the atmosphere - raising carbon dioxide levels by about > 40 per cent since the Industrial Revolution - and by clearing forests to > reduce the amount of carbon the land absorbs. But the deliberate management > of global climate is still confined to theory, backed by a few small-scale > experiments. > > The report divides geo-engineering solutions to climate change into two > basic types - plans to suck carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere and plans > to block some of the sun's heat before it gets here. > > They include fertilising the oceans with iron filings, to stimulate the > growth of algae, which absorbs CO2 and then sinks to the ocean floor, and > sowing the atmosphere with sulphates, which deflect some of the sun's rays > away from Earth. > > The simplest way to remove carbon from the air is the planting of forests > on a massive scale but the limitations of suitable land, water and > nutrients mean it can only play a small part in reducing emissions. > ''Estimates suggest that, at best, about 2 to 4 per cent of greenhouse gas > emissions from human activities could be offset this way,'' the report said. > > Ocean fertilisation is also likely to be ineffective on a large scale, and > the best estimates suggest only a few per cent of human emissions could be > offset this way, the report concluded. This is because many marine > organisms feed on algae, ultimately returning its CO2 to the surface, > because the ocean waters mix together, bringing deep water back to the > surface. There would also be unknown side effects on fish. > > Like efforts to absorb more CO2, efforts to shield the planet from some of > the sun's rays would need to be kept up more or less forever, lest there be > a sudden surge of extra heat. > > Releasing sulphate aerosols into the upper atmosphere is one method > canvassed in the chief scientist's report. The cheapest and most effective > technique of doing this could be connecting long tubes to a sulphate source > and raising them into the atmosphere by means of balloons. > > But the potential drawbacks are many, including reducing rainfall over > land masses, hampering the regeneration of the ozone layer and causing acid > rain. If the scheme failed or was stopped, temperatures would rise very > quickly. > > The findings of the Australian report are similar to those of recent > studies undertaken by Britain's Royal Society and the US Task Force on > Climate Remediation Research. > > -- > 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. > > -- *Michael Hayes* *360-708-4976* http://www.voglerlake.com -- 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.
