To think it's time to attempt geoengineering? (things like blocking out the sun...)

[FloorWipes]

I think more of us are coming to the realisation that climate change is getting bad and affecting our day to day lives. We can see it's not predictable and at risk of getting much worse very fast.

At the same time, cutting global emissions is going painfully slowly and we've already built up so much CO2 in the atmosphere that a lot of warming is already baked in. Meanwhile our government is making almost no signs that we are adapting to cope with the coming extreme weather. The overall inertia is quite staggering.

So is now the time for us to move towards geoengineering? By which I am mostly thinking of different ways of blocking solar radiation, as well as the less controversial goal of removing CO2 from the atmosphere.

On the one hand, it is a risky and mad idea but on the other hand we are definitely screwed anyway.

Thoughts?

We don’t have anywhere near the scientific understanding to be sure what we try would work, and it would be a huge, unimaginably vast engineering project that would cost trillions of pounds.

Might be better to just plant some trees tbh.

My understanding is that it's very difficult to plant enough trees fast enough to make a dent in the problem, though I do agree this should be part of the solution.

Yeah I’m being a bit flippant. But the thing is we know what we need to do (plant trees, renewable energy, reduce, reuse, recycle etc etc) and the governments and big corporations aren’t doing it.

So diverting attention on to huge geoengineering projects that will cost a fortune and occupy lots of our scientists and engineers is just a distraction/waste of opportunities. They probably won’t work and we can’t afford them.

We should stick with the basics but do it properly.

I find it incredibly frustrating that we aren't planting whole forests of trees literally night and day, ffs we have natural carbon extractors all around us and yet scientists are scratching their heads looking for new solutions, does my head in that we can't do both in tangent. I appreciate that they can't just take over prime arable or livestock land but as I drive along I look at field boundaries etc which are completely devoid of trees and just can't understand why we're not planting in these places.

The planet will be fine if we leave it the fuck alone.

We'll be extinct, and the process of extinction won't be great - but can we not just stick with fucking it up for ourselves and current species, rather than fucking it up for everything that could ever evolve in the future until the Sun vaporises everything?

Im up for a multi pronged approach.

I reckon lots of trees plus a carbon caputure system (apparently already exists) whilst rapidly developing carbon neutral energies andcreducing consumption.
Not sure about blocking the sun maybe we could just shade the poles or something so thd ice doesnt melt.

I understand your point and I agree in principle. However - we aren't doing it! And if we were it would still take time to see the effects. Instead we are adding more CO2 daily. This 11th hour here. We might be on the cusp of climate breakdown with runaway non linear effects: a study in the press today says that Atlantic currents might collapse in as little as 2 years. We can't then turn it back on. Whilst not the most likely scenario, it's not a gamble I feel good about. Do we really have time to quibble about recycling and electric cars etc. until 2050??

We’ve fucked about enough with pointless technology. We need less of that, not more.

Also adding to olanting new teees. Stop cutting down the amazon forest.

By which I am mostly thinking of different ways of blocking solar radiation

Are there any vaguely feasible ways of doing that though?

Innovation will save the day so I’m hoping lots of people somewhere are busy trying to find a solution 🤦🏻‍♀️

Not sure about blocking the sun maybe we could just shade the poles or something so thd ice doesnt melt.

How?

Have you not watched Geostorm???

But seriously, no. We have done enough damage and are continuing to do so knowingly in pursuit of pointless purchases and plane/car travel that is non essential.

I heard on the radio that if we covered 1% of the earth in reflective paint, the issue would go away.

Maybe that and planting trees anywhere a tree will grow.

They are under study and have been for some time. The main approaches are Stratospheric Aerosol Injection and Marine Cloud Brightening.

“Just build a wall! A wall to block out the sun!”

We need Asia and the Americas to realise they too will suffer if they don’t stop polluting and chopping trees. The solutions are actually pretty simple but the big polluters aren’t doing then.

Yes, tech has its place but we should be using proven solutions at scale. Basically throwing everything reasonable we can at the problem. The upside with tree planting is they also create shade, and mixed plantings create good habitats for wildlife.

I read that mature trees capture more carbon than young ones, so there should also be more emphasis on tree and hedgerow conservation.

Coal fires. Dirty and add just enough soot into the atmosphere to block sunlight.

Big umbrella?

I have zero idea. Quite clearly I am not any kind of scientist.

I just like to think there are people out there researching more sensible solutions and they arent all sitting around saying we are doomed.

I know me planting a couple of trees in my garden isn't going to save the planet, but I do have some room - what's the best tree to plant to help clean the air?

Go after big city companies . Mandatory to turn off lighting in empty office blocks etc at night and in every large empty building. Work on cleaner and more energy efficient affordable
energy. Stop manufacturing goods that are designed to only last a year or two ie kettles washing machines etc. improve recyclability of clothes and white goods and recycling methods. Being back glass bottles and pay kids to return them for reuse. There is much more practical stuff that can be done but isn’t. Change the image of reduce reuse and recycle into something more positive and collect the bloody bins more regularly as people will not recycle if the sodding bin is full and not lifted for three weeks!

No. Any geoengineering just gives licence for companies to make more CO2. We now have the tech to cut CO2 emissions drastically - we just lack political will.

Sadly, I think the 'human factor' would mean that, as a PP above has stated, people and big companies would just pollute more.

It's the same psychology as the more litter pickers are seen picking litter, the more people throw stuff out of their cars.

Maybe it's best if humans were extinct.

To be fair, scientists aren't scratching their heads looking for new solutions for fun. It's because governments/societies aren't willing to enact the solutions that are already known about because it would be such a significant change.

Scientists probably are scratching their heads trying to find a solution which means people can carry on as they are, but at zero carbon and no extra cost - because that's an impossible ask.

I'm not saying you personally are doing this Shoesonthefloor, but I think suggesting it's scientists who are blocking solutions being enacted is a bit unfair!

Absolutely not. The potential for unintended consequences is huge. See also releasing GM mosquitoes and the fortunately halted attempt to dump a bunch of magnesium hydroxide into St Ives Bay.