Geo-Engineering a Climate Change Solution
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Transcript of Geo-Engineering a Climate Change Solution
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Geo-Engineering a Climate Change Solution
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Geo-EngineeringThe deliberate large-scale manipulation of the planetary environment to counteract anthropogenic climate change
The Royal Society, “Geo-engineering the Climate” 2009
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Geo-Engineering: Basic Principle
• Introduce particles into the atmosphere which reflect more of the incoming solar radiation (energy from the sun)
• As energy is reflected (instead of being absorbed) the earth’s atmosphere cools
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Idea From Nature: Volcanoes
Large eruptions release great amounts of ash and gas into the atmosphere
Krakatoa, Indonesia (1883)Pinatubo, Phillipines (1991)– 20 million tons of sulfur dioxide (SO2) gas released
•These eruptions caused measurable decreases in the global climate for 1-3 years.– 1.3 degrees Celsius cooler
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Volcanoes and GHG Emissions• CO2 emissions from ALL active volcanoes in one
year0.25 Gigatons CO2
• Human-caused CO2 emissions for 201035 Gigatons CO2
Humans produce 140 times as much CO2 than all active volcanoes in one year
Volcanoes are not a significant source of CO2
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Proposed Process• Planes, Balloons, Rockets and/or Artillery deliver
sulfur dioxide (SO2) gas into the upper atmosphere
• SO2 reacts with water vapour and forms sulfuric acid
SO2 + H20 H2SO4
• Super-small droplets (aerosols) of sulfuric acid reflect incoming solar radiation back into space
• Sulfur aerosols remain in atmosphere for 3-4 years
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Benefits• Low cost– SO2 easy and cheap to produce
• Delivery technology exists– Planes, balloons, rockets etc.
• Likely to be very effective at cooling climate
• Could be implemented quickly
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Concerns• Health concerns when sulfuric acid falls from
atmosphere
• Impact of acid precipitation on water cycle
• Less solar radiation reaching surface– Negative impact on photosynthesis– Solar energy panels less effective
Geo-Engineering Debate