Blog #10 "Ge-oengineering Could Be Essential to Reducing the Risk of Climate Change"

This article discusses that the only way we can deal with the current climate change is using technology that will cool the planet and deal with the greenhouse gases that is circulating in the atmosphere. The argument was made a scientist named David Keith and a professor at Harvard University. Geo-engineering refers to "the deliberate large-scale intervention in the Earth’s climate system, in order to moderate global warming." The discipline divides broadly into two categories, as described by the Royal "Carbon dioxide removal techniques, which address the root cause of climate change by removing greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. Solar radiation management techniques which attempt to offset effects of increased greenhouse gas concentrations by causing the Earth to absorb less solar radiation.  Geoengineering has been proposed as a potential third option for tackling global warming, alongside mitigation and adaptation. Scientists do not typically suggest Geo-engineering as an alternative to emissions control, but rather an accompanying strategy. The scientists also makes a point that geoengineering is an effective and cheap method that any country could implement this strategy and help reduce the greenhouses effecting our planet. the scientist says the preferred method of geoengineering is to shade the earth by injecting sulfate particles into the upper atmosphere, imitating a similar process that happens with large volcanic eruptions, which are known to temporarily cool the planet. The technique could be effective even if far less sulfate were injected than is currently emitted by fossil-fuel power plants. A million tons per year injected into the stratosphere would be enough—whereas 50 million tons are injected into the lower part of the atmosphere by coal plants, he says. (In the lower atmosphere, the sulfates are less effective at cooling because they stay airborne for shorter periods.

However, there are the skeptics out there are risks that can make this potential project a failure and endanger the planet more than it already is. some of the risk include solar radiation triggering more widespread ozone depletion and UV exposure "Scientists are developing geoengineering technologies. But whether these methods eventually succeed in countering climate change, and whether they will be embraced by the wider population, concerns more than scientists alone. These are only observation and experiments made by scientist and engineers, there could be a benefit for society and also the risks that come with the experiment need to be looked at.


http://www.technologyreview.com/news/506256/geoengineering-could-be-essential-to-reducing-the-risk-of-climate-change/

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