Geoengineering Climate: The making of a modern Shakespearean tragedy - Sins of Commission

#Geoengineering #Climate: The making of a modern Shakespearean tragedy - Sins of Commission 

Act I

Contrails warm the world more than aviation emissions

Michael Marshall 12 August 2011 (New Scientist)

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn20304-contrails-warm-the-world-more-than-aviation-emissions.html

Act II

Sooty ships may be geoengineering by accident

Jeff Hecht 09 February 2013 (New Scientist)

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg21729035.100-sooty-ships-may-be-geoengineering-by-accident.html

----Speaking of modern Shakespearean (scripted) tragedies:

HACKING THE EARTH

UNDERSTANDING THE CONSEQUENCES

OF GEOENGINEERING (Climate)

By Jamais Cascio (2009) 

http://www.lulu.com/us/en/shop/jamais-cascio/hacking-the-earth/paperback/product-6098459.html

An excert.

ROGUE PROJECTS

The first two political dilemmas arising from geoengineering

efforts are heightened versions of relatively conventional

international issues: political control and distribution of costs. The

third dilemma, conversely, has few precedents.

It is possible that, should the international community refrain

from geoengineering strategies, one or more smaller, non-hegemonic, actors could undertake geoengineering projects of

their own.

This could be out of a legitimate fear that prevention

and mitigation strategies would be insufficient, out of a

disagreement with the consensus over geoengineering safety or

results, or — most troublingly — out of a desire to use

geoengineering tools to achieve a relative increase in competitive

power over adversaries.

It's entirely possible, even likely, that the hegemonic

international powers will decide, after careful study, that the

potential risks of substantive geoengineering outweigh the

potential benefits, and that no such strategies should be pursued.

However, we know that the negative impacts of global warming

are distributed unevenly, and what may be acceptable levels of

climate disruption for the major states may be utterly devastating

for poorer, smaller nations.

It is in this context that a scientificallypowerful

developing nation — India or Brazil, for example —

may decide that it is unwilling to abide by UN decisions about reterraforming, and begin to undertake such a strategy.

It may have concluded that the impacts of climate change

would hit it too quickly for carbon reductions around the world to

have an effect; it may see geoengineering as its only choice.

Conversely, it may have concluded that the scientific arguments

against geoengineering were faulty, and that such an effort could

be undertaken safely, regardless of the success of other solutions.

Would this rogue effort be backed up by a threat to use all means

necessary to defend the project? Would the UN or the hegemonic

powers be willing to use sanctions, interdiction of project-related

materials, even war to stop the rogue?

Moreover, with the geoengineering technologies on the table,

there's no guarantee that they'll only be used for environmental

purposes. Nuclear proliferation and open-source warfare (as seen

in Iraq and Afghanistan) have made successful conventional

warfare far more difficult — perhaps even functionally

impossible. Geoengineering weapons may offer a new potential to

disrupt one's enemies over a long, subtle campaign. Is this likely?

Probably not, but it’s sufficiently possible that governments will

be forced to consider it.

No nation that sees itself as a great power is going to be

willing to risk having its climate and environment completely in

the hands of another nation. Research into methodologies for

geoengineering will happen simply out of self-preservation —

after all, nobody wants to fall victim to a "terraforming gap."

IMAGINING THE UNTHINKABLE

Finally, we have to recognize that the "rogue actors" need not be

states. While the costs of geoengineering strategies may be

enormous, they wouldn't necessarily be out of the range of some

of the global billionaires. The movie scenario's not hard to

imagine:

      In a world on the verge of destruction... while nations delay and scientists bicker... one man sees a way to save us all.

     "But the UN isn’t sure it’s safe!"

     “To hell with the UN! I just want to save the Earth!”

As the planet burns, Warren Gates-Branson III crosses the line no

nation dares cross.

      "All my money counts for nothing if the world's gone to hell!"

He is... THE TERRAFORMER.

(OE) or...  Act III

(Pacific Ocean Hacker Speaks Out

Is Russ George a "rogue geoengineer," salmon savior or something else?

By David Biello October 24, 2012 Scientific American)

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=questions-and-answers-with-rogue-geoengineer-carbon-entrepreneur-russ-george

                                

Unfortunately, the less-heroic version's not hard to imagine,

either: a cadre of scientists and engineers willing to say anything

to test out pet ideas, a multi-jillionaire who believes himself

smarter than those bureaucrats at the UN, and a planet already on

the tipping point of catastrophe, just waiting for some kind of

event to trigger an unstoppable cascade of environmental tragedy."

(OE) or...  Act IV

As the Arctic sea ice melts, be wary of 'Methane Emergency' claims

Christian Hunt 14 Aug 2012 The Carbon Brief)

http://www.carbonbrief.org/blog/2012/08/as-the-arctic-sea-ice-melts,-be-wary-of-methane-emergency-claims#.USlI_eG9Qdg.twitter

... Act V Final Act

Carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels and cement production, from 1751 to 2007.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbcM86ElGSQ

Powerful summer storm in Arctic reduces sea ice

http://earthsky.org/earth/powerful-summer-storm-in-arctic-reduces-sea-ice-even-more

The Arctic's Record Breaking Ice Melt
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UaKqhRTqSlg

Arctic States meet to discuss fossil fuel exploration
http://blog.geogarage.com/2010/04/arctic-states-meet-to-discuss-fossil.html

Incresed Hunger For Billions of People

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hunger

20 reasons why geoengineering may be a bad idea

http://www.thebulletin.org/files/064002006_0.pdf

Other links:

Global warming may have fueled Somali drought 
http://bigstory.ap.org/article/human-climate-change-big-factor-somali-famine

You are invited to visit my weekly:
#Geoengineering #Climate Issues

http://paper.li/oscare2000/1347466963

Para una corta introducción visite:
http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoingenier%C3%ADa 

Los invito a que lean también mi semanario en español:

GEOINGENIERIA DEL CLIMA - Temas sobre la Geoingeniería Climática - Modificación del Clima 

http://paper.li/oscare2000/1360165668

Y en inglés con algunos articulos en español: #Geoengineering #Climate Issues

http://paper.li/oscare2000/1347466963