{"id":9592,"date":"2015-02-10T16:05:28","date_gmt":"2015-02-10T21:05:28","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/climate411\/?p=9592"},"modified":"2015-02-10T16:05:28","modified_gmt":"2015-02-10T21:05:28","slug":"a-significant-milestone-for-opening-up-the-discussion-about-geoengineering","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/climate411\/2015\/02\/10\/a-significant-milestone-for-opening-up-the-discussion-about-geoengineering\/","title":{"rendered":"A Significant Milestone for Opening Up the Discussion About Geoengineering"},"content":{"rendered":"

Geoengineering is the deliberate large-scale manipulation of the Earth\u2019s climate system to counteract the impact that pollutants are having on our climate. The proposals sound like the stuff of science fiction \u2013 spraying particles in the upper atmosphere to deflect some sunlight, for instance \u2013 and EDF\u2019s experts have been following<\/a> the topic with concern.<\/p>\n

Most of the focus on climate change has been about transitioning our economy to clean, renewable energy \u2013 removing the cause of the malady. But some are worried that won\u2019t happen fast enough and that a more radical intervention may be necessary. Indeed, a 2014 report from the International Panel on Climate Change indicated that the world may require some form of climate engineering in order to stay within a hoped for two-degree limit to global temperature rise. But these proposals raise a serious risk of unintended consequences.<\/p>\n

Geoengineering is in the news because of the release of a new report from the National Academy of Sciences. It\u2019s the first study commissioned by the U.S. government that explains our current understanding of the science, ethics, and governance issues presented by geoengineering technologies. I was a member of the panel that drafted the NAS report, and its release is also meaningful for me — and for my colleagues here at EDF — because of our involvement with the Solar Radiation Management Governance Initiative (SRMGI)<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Specifically, NAS was asked to conduct a technical evaluation of a limited number of proposed geoengineering techniques, including albedo modification and carbon dioxide removal. The new report comments on the potential impacts of these technologies.<\/p>\n

What is Albedo Modification?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Albedo modification (AM), also known as \u201csolar radiation management,\u201d describes a controversial set of theoretical proposals for cooling the Earth by reflecting a small amount of inbound solar energy back into space.<\/p>\n

These techniques have attracted attention because they could \u2014 in theory \u2014 reduce global temperatures quickly and relatively cheaply. BUT \u2013 these techniques would have unknown adverse impacts.<\/p>\n

The new NAS report makes clear that AM is not<\/strong> an alternative to deep reductions in carbon pollution.<\/p>\n

AM does not address ocean acidification and other non-temperature-related climate change impacts. <\/strong> It can at most serve as a temporary tool to reduce temperatures while lowering the atmospheric burden of greenhouse gases.<\/p>\n

AM technologies have potentially serious and uncertain environmental, political, and social risks. The distribution and balance of benefits and risks are currently unknown.<\/strong><\/p>\n

AM research will require governance mechanisms to ensure that if research is undertaken, it is done transparently, safely, and with international agreement.<\/p>\n

Unlike the NAS report just released, EDF has not called for small-scale AM research. We are in favor of accelerated discussion and development of a governance framework that would cover any potential geoengineering research.\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Why should research governance involve a global conversation?<\/strong><\/p>\n

The scientific, ethical, political, and social implications of AM research could be global. That means discussions about AM research governance should be global as well. To date, however, most discussions on the governance of AM research have taken place in developed countries — even though people in developing countries are those most vulnerable, both to climate change and to any potential efforts to respond to it.<\/p>\n

In recognition of that fact, the Royal Society<\/a>, EDF and TWAS<\/a> (The World Academy of Sciences) launched SRMGI in 2010. SRMGI is an international NGO-driven initiative to expand international discussions on AM, particularly to developing countries.<\/p>\n

SRMGI promotes early and sustained dialogue among diverse stakeholders around the world, informed by the best available science, in order to increase the chances of any AM research, should it be undertaken, being managed responsibly, transparently, and cooperatively.<\/p>\n

The new NAS report offers an important opportunity to expand that dialogue.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s critical that we aim for transnational cooperation and information exchange on climate engineering research governance. That\u2019s because even low-risk climate engineering research presents controversy.<\/p>\n

AM\u2019s potentially cheap deployment and quick effect on global temperatures could lead to the rapid and unilateral development of AM research programs, which could engender international tension and conflict.<\/p>\n

Furthermore, deployment of AM would not benefit all populations equally.<\/p>\n

And, while discussions about geoengineering are necessary, they cannot be considered as a substitute for reducing carbon pollution. The billions of tons of carbon pollution we put into our atmosphere every year are causing dangerous changes to our climate, and we must rapidly and consistently reduce that pollution. No climate engineering technology we can conceive of could keep up with the impacts of rapidly accelerating emissions.<\/p>\n

What Comes Next?<\/strong><\/p>\n

The new NAS report should spur the U.S. and other governments to take the governance challenges of research into AM technologies seriously. An important next step is to foster wider international dialogue, including developing countries, on how to responsibly manage AM research.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a dialogue that we at SRMGI, and at EDF, welcome. And the new NAS report is a welcome contribution to this dialogue.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Geoengineering is the deliberate large-scale manipulation of the Earth\u2019s climate system to counteract the impact that pollutants are having on our climate. The proposals sound like the stuff of science fiction \u2013 spraying particles in the upper atmosphere to deflect some sunlight, for instance \u2013 and EDF\u2019s experts have been following the topic with concern. …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7370,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[107,202,20,115,42],"tags":[],"coauthors":[],"class_list":["post-9592","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-geoengineering-sequestration","category-greenhouse-gas-emissions","category-news","category-advocates-for-change","category-science"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nA Significant Milestone for Opening Up the Discussion About Geoengineering - Climate 411<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/climate411\/2015\/02\/10\/a-significant-milestone-for-opening-up-the-discussion-about-geoengineering\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"A Significant Milestone for Opening Up the Discussion About Geoengineering - Climate 411\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Geoengineering is the deliberate large-scale manipulation of the Earth\u2019s climate system to counteract the impact that pollutants are having on our climate. The proposals sound like the stuff of science fiction \u2013 spraying particles in the upper atmosphere to deflect some sunlight, for instance \u2013 and EDF\u2019s experts have been following the topic with concern. ...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/climate411\/2015\/02\/10\/a-significant-milestone-for-opening-up-the-discussion-about-geoengineering\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Climate 411\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2015-02-10T21:05:28+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Steven Hamburg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Steven Hamburg\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogs.edf.org\\\/climate411\\\/2015\\\/02\\\/10\\\/a-significant-milestone-for-opening-up-the-discussion-about-geoengineering\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogs.edf.org\\\/climate411\\\/2015\\\/02\\\/10\\\/a-significant-milestone-for-opening-up-the-discussion-about-geoengineering\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Steven Hamburg\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogs.edf.org\\\/climate411\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/4a51623c1599128bf1f55012c448505a\"},\"headline\":\"A Significant Milestone for Opening Up the Discussion About Geoengineering\",\"datePublished\":\"2015-02-10T21:05:28+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogs.edf.org\\\/climate411\\\/2015\\\/02\\\/10\\\/a-significant-milestone-for-opening-up-the-discussion-about-geoengineering\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":826,\"commentCount\":0,\"articleSection\":[\"Geoengineering\",\"Greenhouse Gas Emissions\",\"News\",\"Partners for Change\",\"Science\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/blogs.edf.org\\\/climate411\\\/2015\\\/02\\\/10\\\/a-significant-milestone-for-opening-up-the-discussion-about-geoengineering\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogs.edf.org\\\/climate411\\\/2015\\\/02\\\/10\\\/a-significant-milestone-for-opening-up-the-discussion-about-geoengineering\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogs.edf.org\\\/climate411\\\/2015\\\/02\\\/10\\\/a-significant-milestone-for-opening-up-the-discussion-about-geoengineering\\\/\",\"name\":\"A Significant Milestone for Opening Up the Discussion About Geoengineering - Climate 411\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogs.edf.org\\\/climate411\\\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2015-02-10T21:05:28+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogs.edf.org\\\/climate411\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/4a51623c1599128bf1f55012c448505a\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogs.edf.org\\\/climate411\\\/2015\\\/02\\\/10\\\/a-significant-milestone-for-opening-up-the-discussion-about-geoengineering\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/blogs.edf.org\\\/climate411\\\/2015\\\/02\\\/10\\\/a-significant-milestone-for-opening-up-the-discussion-about-geoengineering\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogs.edf.org\\\/climate411\\\/2015\\\/02\\\/10\\\/a-significant-milestone-for-opening-up-the-discussion-about-geoengineering\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogs.edf.org\\\/climate411\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"A Significant Milestone for Opening Up the Discussion About Geoengineering\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogs.edf.org\\\/climate411\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogs.edf.org\\\/climate411\\\/\",\"name\":\"Climate 411\",\"description\":\"Blogging the science and policy of global warming\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogs.edf.org\\\/climate411\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogs.edf.org\\\/climate411\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/4a51623c1599128bf1f55012c448505a\",\"name\":\"Steven Hamburg\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/b1953880453b1b930c0c50ca41df7a7e933c892135037059b929d64a43114113?s=96&d=mm&r=gb593875e735293d43a6e67d2ea441d2e\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/b1953880453b1b930c0c50ca41df7a7e933c892135037059b929d64a43114113?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/b1953880453b1b930c0c50ca41df7a7e933c892135037059b929d64a43114113?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Steven Hamburg\"},\"description\":\"Chief Scientist Steven Hamburg is EDF\u2019s public voice for its commitment to science-based advocacy and is responsible for the scientific integrity of EDF\u2019s positions and programs. His training and research specialty is ecosystem ecology, with a focus on forests.\",\"sameAs\":[\"http:\\\/\\\/www.edf.org\\\/people\\\/steven-hamburg\"],\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/blogs.edf.org\\\/climate411\\\/author\\\/shamburg\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"A Significant Milestone for Opening Up the Discussion About Geoengineering - Climate 411","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/climate411\/2015\/02\/10\/a-significant-milestone-for-opening-up-the-discussion-about-geoengineering\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"A Significant Milestone for Opening Up the Discussion About Geoengineering - Climate 411","og_description":"Geoengineering is the deliberate large-scale manipulation of the Earth\u2019s climate system to counteract the impact that pollutants are having on our climate. The proposals sound like the stuff of science fiction \u2013 spraying particles in the upper atmosphere to deflect some sunlight, for instance \u2013 and EDF\u2019s experts have been following the topic with concern. ...","og_url":"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/climate411\/2015\/02\/10\/a-significant-milestone-for-opening-up-the-discussion-about-geoengineering\/","og_site_name":"Climate 411","article_published_time":"2015-02-10T21:05:28+00:00","author":"Steven Hamburg","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Steven Hamburg","Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/climate411\/2015\/02\/10\/a-significant-milestone-for-opening-up-the-discussion-about-geoengineering\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/climate411\/2015\/02\/10\/a-significant-milestone-for-opening-up-the-discussion-about-geoengineering\/"},"author":{"name":"Steven Hamburg","@id":"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/climate411\/#\/schema\/person\/4a51623c1599128bf1f55012c448505a"},"headline":"A Significant Milestone for Opening Up the Discussion About Geoengineering","datePublished":"2015-02-10T21:05:28+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/climate411\/2015\/02\/10\/a-significant-milestone-for-opening-up-the-discussion-about-geoengineering\/"},"wordCount":826,"commentCount":0,"articleSection":["Geoengineering","Greenhouse Gas Emissions","News","Partners for Change","Science"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/climate411\/2015\/02\/10\/a-significant-milestone-for-opening-up-the-discussion-about-geoengineering\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/climate411\/2015\/02\/10\/a-significant-milestone-for-opening-up-the-discussion-about-geoengineering\/","url":"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/climate411\/2015\/02\/10\/a-significant-milestone-for-opening-up-the-discussion-about-geoengineering\/","name":"A Significant Milestone for Opening Up the Discussion About Geoengineering - Climate 411","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/climate411\/#website"},"datePublished":"2015-02-10T21:05:28+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/climate411\/#\/schema\/person\/4a51623c1599128bf1f55012c448505a"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/climate411\/2015\/02\/10\/a-significant-milestone-for-opening-up-the-discussion-about-geoengineering\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/climate411\/2015\/02\/10\/a-significant-milestone-for-opening-up-the-discussion-about-geoengineering\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/climate411\/2015\/02\/10\/a-significant-milestone-for-opening-up-the-discussion-about-geoengineering\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/climate411\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"A Significant Milestone for Opening Up the Discussion About Geoengineering"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/climate411\/#website","url":"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/climate411\/","name":"Climate 411","description":"Blogging the science and policy of global warming","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/climate411\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/climate411\/#\/schema\/person\/4a51623c1599128bf1f55012c448505a","name":"Steven Hamburg","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/b1953880453b1b930c0c50ca41df7a7e933c892135037059b929d64a43114113?s=96&d=mm&r=gb593875e735293d43a6e67d2ea441d2e","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/b1953880453b1b930c0c50ca41df7a7e933c892135037059b929d64a43114113?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/b1953880453b1b930c0c50ca41df7a7e933c892135037059b929d64a43114113?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Steven Hamburg"},"description":"Chief Scientist Steven Hamburg is EDF\u2019s public voice for its commitment to science-based advocacy and is responsible for the scientific integrity of EDF\u2019s positions and programs. His training and research specialty is ecosystem ecology, with a focus on forests.","sameAs":["http:\/\/www.edf.org\/people\/steven-hamburg"],"url":"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/climate411\/author\/shamburg\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/climate411\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9592","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/climate411\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/climate411\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/climate411\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7370"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/climate411\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9592"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/climate411\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9592\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/climate411\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9592"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/climate411\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9592"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/climate411\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9592"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.edf.org\/climate411\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=9592"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}