Hi Ken--My question on the definition being used would be if ³impacts² is the right word as that usually refers to the consequences of changes in climate, so what is covered in IPCC WG 2 rather than WG 1. I would suggest that SRM is interested in limiting ³the amount of anthropogenic climate change² or ³the effects on climate of increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases² or ³the effects on climate of anthropogenically caused changes in radiative forcing² or something similar. Now, I do agree that the intent of doing these actions is to limit the impacts of climate change on society and the environment, but global SRM directly is focused on counter-balancing the response of the climate system to the rising concentrations of greenhouse gases, and not, for example, trying to directly limit the shifts in ranges of ecosystems, etc.
I would actually suggest that some of what might be regionally focused efforts to alter the energy balance, such as use microbubbles to limit absorption of solar radiation in Hudson Bay and thereby lead to a greater presence of sea ice (with goal of limiting the effects of an open Hudson Bay on North American weather and on polar bear habitat, for example) would be closer to the definition of SRM intending to limit impacts‹though still not as direct as might be pursued in other ways of dealing with impacts (like resettling polar bear populations, etc.). Mike On 2/20/13 2:01 AM, "Ken Caldeira" <[email protected]> wrote: > Russell, > > I am prone to side with Humpty Dumpty when it comes to words that do not yet > have a narrow agreed-upon definition. > > "When I use a word," Humpty Dumpty said, in rather a scornful tone, "it means > just what I choose it to mean‹neither more nor less." -- Lewis Carroll, > Through the Looking Glass, 1872. > > We are defining "solar geoengineering" in the context of our study. Other > definitions may be appropriate in other contexts. > > Best, > > Ken > > On Wed, Feb 20, 2013 at 3:26 PM, Russell Seitz <[email protected]> wrote: >> Ken's ERL abstract commences : >> >>> Solar geoengineering is the deliberate reduction in the absorption of >>> incoming solar radiation by the Earth's climate system with the aim of >>> reducing impacts of anthropogenic climate change. >> >> It is worth noting the unsuble distinction between this global paradigm and >> aiming to reduce the uptake of solar energy to limit warming locally for >> purposes quite unrelated to "the aim of reducing impacts of anthropogenic >> climate change." such as water conservation or mitigating urban heat island >> effects. >> -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "geoengineering" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/geoengineering?hl=en. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
