Geoengineering / Böll Stiftung

What?

Summary

Notes

Geoengineering threatens Oceans

https://www.boell.de/en/node/66781?dimension1=ds_geoengineering

• Small scale equipment testing in Australia (2020): sparying sea water into clouds
• Sets a precedent vs. the moratorium
• This tech will not protect against acidification in any case

Review of some ongoing experiments and risks

Factsheets on Geoengineering

• Review of most technologies
• Cirrus Cloud thinning
• Stratospheric Aerosol Injection
• Microbubbles / sea foam
• Artificial Upwelling
• Biochar
• Ocean fertilization
• Surface Albedo Modification
• Enhanced Photosnthesis
• Direct Air Capture
• Carbon Capture Use and Storage
• Bio-energy with CCS
• Enhanced weathering
• Marine Cloud Brightening Project
• CCS

Geoengineering worldwide

• Map of ongoing / past / planned experiements
• Also includes weather modification
• Only 12 activities on SRM

FAQs on 1,5C and geoengineering

https://www.boell.de/en/2018/09/11/faq-15degc-target-geoengineering?dimension1=ds_radicalrealism#5

• Negative emissions: Most economic scenarios rely on the idea that we will use CCS on a massive scale in 2nd half of century. Unrealistic: 10-30 years of global emissions to be removed
• CCS - leaks / not a mature tech
• BECCS - will the carbon stay sequestered? + monoculture is a threat
• What is the problem with geoengineering?
• It will have to be massive scale = consequences will be global
• Unproven and have not been tested = uncertainty
🤔
Yet they oppose testing more
• If it does work = reinforce global injustice
• Real impact can only be determined once it is deployed
🤔
Just like man made climate change
• Irreversible
• Perfect excuse for those who protect the status quo
• Diversion
• Who are the main players / key drivers of geoengineering?
• Global north, "some companies", scientists
• if it is possible to artificially cool the planet and rein in global warming, then this technology becomes a very potent resource – not least in the hands of powerful states, which would attempt to adjust the global thermostat in whichever direction best served their strategic interests.
🤔

Interesting angle. Indeed, it can be used as a weapon = it will be used as a weapon = the military will research it whatever we might do

• Are there any international rules on geoengineering?
• UN Convention on Biological Diversity has acted as the forum for critical discussions
• 2008 - Called for moratorium on ocean fertilization due to impact on marine ecosystems
• 2010 - broadened de facto moratorium to include all geoeng
• Ocean fertilization is seen as a pollution under the London Convention
• 2019 UN Environmental Assembly - fail to push for moratorium due to massive opposition from high emitting and oil producing countries
• What does international civil society say about geoengineering?
• Clearer positions
• Geoengineering serves the interests of climate polluters and deniers
• International civil society networks are campaigning vs. introduction of geoeng and its "normalization" in these forums
🤔
just talking about it is an issue

Manipulating Mother Nature: The gendered antagonism of geoengineering

https://www.boell.de/en/2020/01/30/manipulating-mother-nature-gendered-antagonism-geoengineering?dimension1=ds_geoengineering

• Male gaze on Mother Nature
• Geoengineering: A patriarchal fallacy to save "business as usual"
• The ultimate hubris
• Geoengineering is a belief that tech can "solve" the climate crisis
• The ultimate techno-fix
• This entails a Stratospheric Aerosol Injection where even the word, “injection” brings to mind phallic images of penetration.