Transcript Introduction_to_Geoengineering_2 - FNG4-7-2011

intro to geoengineering
(What it is, what it involves,
relationship with global
warming, why it is considered
a climate change solution)
Geoengineering
Its a word that means many different things to different people.
The common is known that geoengineering is divided into two
major facts.
1.Reduce the amount of climate change produced by the
greenhouse gasses that increases. (CO2, methane and
nitrogen oxide)
2.Remove the greenhouse gasses have been released into
the atmosphere
It invovles Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR) and Solar Radiation
Management (SRM)
Geoenginering involves
CO2 removal (CDR)
Cleaning atmosphere by
removing CO2 from it.
HOW?
• platning trees (sucks CO2)
• developing technologies to
capture and store CO2
emissions by power plants
• ocean iron fertilizationadding iron to ocean water
to increase phytoplankton
plants
• afforestation
• biochar
Advantages
• low risk
• more direct approach in
trying to solve global
warming
Disadvantage
• Not fast enough if the goal
is to reduce global
temperature
Solor Radiation Management (SRM)
Focus: reflecting 1%-2% of sunlight back to space
How?
1. stratospheric sulfur loading-to immitate a volcanic eruption's
cooling effect on the atmosphere
2. tropicl cloud brightening-using salt particles injected into the
tropophere so clouds can reflect more sunlight back to space
3. reflectiv aeosols
4. cloud seeding
5. cloud albedo approaches
6. ocean sulfer cycle enhancement
7. reflective balloons
8. space mirrors
9. dispersive solutions-using lens in space to scatter sunlight
before it reaches the Earth
Effects
Disadvantage
1. may affect Asain monsoons
2. may cause other
environment problems
3. take away foucs from
causes of Global Warming
Advantage
• can potentially lower global
temperatures quickly
• can be more effective than
CDR in a crisis situation
Ex.
1991 in the Philippines,
Mount Pinatubo erupted,
sending huge
• Reflected two percent of
sunlight, Earth cooled by
half a degree Celsius.
• Three percent reduction in
the ozone atmosphere.
• Europe were affected.
Relationship with Global Warming
Solar Radiation Management (SRM) techniques can possibly
counteract global warming because less amount of sunlight can
hit the earth.
Greenhouse gases trap the infrared radiation and emit it back
to earth in all directions. The natural greenhouse effect keeps
the Earth's temperature to about 57゜F. The concern is the
incresin amount of green house gases, especially CO2, as a
result of human activities involving combustion of fossil fuels,
coals, and gas. This enhanced greenhouse effect is causing
the average temperture of the Earth to rise- this is called the
Global warming. So geoeng. can reduce greenhouse gases
can help reduce global warming
Why Consider as a Climate Change
Solution?
Focused on either CO2 removal or SRM. These are both aime
at reducing global warming which is a term used for the
increase in the average temperature of the earth and the
oceans. Global warming can result in rise of sea levels due to
melting polar ice an also to more severe storms and weather
occurences. This is why geoengineering is consired a climate
change solution.