Hello Herb,

Thank you for this link.

(https://www.technologyreview.com/2024/02/05/1087587/solar-geoengineering-could-start-soon-if-it-starts-small/)

I think this is more evidence of the (glacially) slow progression of the 
scientific and engineering community (such as Keith and Smith) beyond their 
(completely disingenuous) "SAI is the most insane idea in the history of the 
Multiverse, but we should fund numerical simulations (etc.) of it for the next 
fifty years just in case things get 'really bad' (for me personally)" and 
toward (the inevitable) acceptance and eventual advocacy for deployment of SAI, 
without wating for a unanimous vote in favor of it by the entire population of 
the earth (all 8 billion) before the deployment of even a single molecule of 
any aerosol for the stated intent of cooling the earth is allowed to be 
released, which is the current (psychotic) demand of SJWs.

However, it is still riddled with disclaimers (for example, last paragraph) and 
they coyly seem to be pitching the 'small scale SAI' scenario not as a 
scientific test of the physical effects of SAI's on the atmosphere and climate, 
but rather as a 'political or sociological science' test of the political 
reaction of the world to such a test (that is, dump a little SO2 in the 
stratosphere and measure the blood pressure of the anti-SAI crowd).

It is actually difficult for me to tell, at first reading, whether they are 
"fer or agin;" such a test.  And I think that ambiguity was carefully crafted.

Of course, it's not like Keith and Smith (and other 'ultra-cautious 
geoengineers' just 'discovered' the possibility of 'small-scale SAI'.  It's 
straightforward and obvious, and they certainly know that this has been 
outlined and advocated for a long time, including by members of this group.  I 
mean, when Keith spoke on the HPAC zoom just last year, in answer to my 
question about low level tests, he directly said that he saw no usefulness in 
small scale tests.

I think they are starting to put the tip of their toes in the side of advocacy, 
while describing it as 'cautionary'.  I think the proper response is, "thanks 
for stating the obvious about the possibilities for 'low-scale SAI' tests".  
But point out their timidity and disingenuousness in not advocating for the 
scenario they describe is uncompelling.  They describe one variant of) a first 
obvious small scale SAI test, but at the end say they still say they are 
against it until we get a unanimous vote in favor by the entire population of 
the planet.

They still seem to be trying to maintain their increasingly precarious and 
wobbly perch on the fence between denouncement and advocacy of SAI, while 
requesting lots more money for numerical simulations of SAI and studies of the 
'sociological' effects of its deployment.

Those who support immediate measures to stabilize global mean temperature 
should double down and press for actual tests and not be satisfied with 
'cautionary notes' like this about the potential dangers of not starting tests.

When will they find the testicles to actually advocate?

Greg Slater


> On Feb 5, 2024, at 5:29 AM, H simmens <[email protected]> wrote:
> 
> This article published this morning by David Keith and Wake Smith argues that 
> it is entirely feasible that SAI could begin to be deployed at small scale 
> within five years by launching aerosols at higher latitudes where the lower 
> stratospheric boundary is easily accessible by current aircraft.
> 
> It appears that their proposal is consistent with what Mike Maccracken has 
> long been advocating - start small and learn by doing testing. 
> 
> They also argue that such testing should be subject to a formal moratorium - 
> absent the development of a viable governance structure - consistent with the 
> recommendations of the Climate Overshoot Commission. 
> 
> The risks of igniting a geopolitical free for all, particularly if testing 
> were only done by one country and not by a coalition, are substantial they 
> argue. 
> 
> Is this proposal something that those on these lists should get behind? 
> 
> Herb
> 
> https://www.technologyreview.com/2024/02/05/1087587/solar-geoengineering-could-start-soon-if-it-starts-small/
> 
> Herb Simmens
> Author of A Climate Vocabulary of the Future
> “A SciencePoem and an Inspiration.” Kim Stanley Robinson
> @herbsimmens
> HerbSimmens.com

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