Group presentation on Geoengineering at Baruch College for CIS 9230: Globalization and Technology.

1. Climate, Technology, and Governance
Group 3 Presenters:
Ryan Radcliffe
Bobby Khondker
Matt Brown
Christine Stoddard

2. Climate, Technology,
and Governance
Path to Success
 Globalization’s Negative Effects
 Environmental Degradation
 Geoengineering is a Tool
 Governance is the Solution
 The Future is in our hands

3. Climate, Technology,
and Governance
The Globalization Effect

4. Climate, Technology,
and Governance
Environmental Degradation
 Water Pollution
 Less than 3% of the World’s water is usable
 Water contamination
 Chain effect of Global Warming
 Soil Pollution
 Globalization hastens Erosion & Deforestation
 Waste-dumping, pesticides & fertilizers
 Air Pollution
 Greenhouse gas emissions
 Effect on the Ozone Layer

5. Climate, Technology,
and Governance
Geoengineering
“large-scale engineering of our environment in order to
combat or counteract the effects of changes in
atmospheric chemistry” - National Academy of Sciences
Geoengineering Approaches
 Carbon Sequestration/Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR)
 Solar Radiation Management (SRM)

6. Climate, Technology,
and Governance
CDR Approaches
Land Based Ocean Based
Enhanced Air Capture CO2
Weathering Oceanic Upwelling
Ocean Fertilization
or Down welling
(Olivine) (Artificial Trees)

7. Climate, Technology,
and Governance
Artificial Trees
 Brain child of Columbia University Professor Claus Lackner.
 In one day, each tree capture same amount of CO2
emitted by 20 vehicles
 "This is an industry still in its infancy and will eventually rival
(Artificial
the size of today's energy markets." Billy Gridley of Global
Research Technologies ) (Olivine Trees)

8. Climate, Technology,
and Governance
Solar Radiation Management
 Reduce incidence and absorption of solar radiation
 Sunlight is reflected/diverted
Desert Reflectors
Surface Albedo
Ocean Albedo
Cloud Albedo
Stratospheric Aerosols
Space Based

9. Climate, Technology,
and Governance
Cloud Albedo
 Projectfunded by Bill Gates
 Machines spray seawater 3,000 feet into air
 The machines are developed by Silver Lining,
based in San Francisco

10. Climate, Technology,
and Governance
Stratospheric Aerosols
 Approach similar to the effects of Volcanic Eruption of
Mount Pinatubo (Philippines) in 1991.
 Mount Pinatubo's various gases reached 21 miles high
into the atmosphere within two hours of the eruption.
 The aerosol cloud spread around the earth in two
weeks and covered the planet within a year.
 The entire planet was cooled 0.4 to 0.5°C.

11. Climate, Technology,
and Governance
Stratospheric Aerosols
Mount Pinatubo Eruption Geoengineered release of Aerosols

12. Climate, Technology,
and Governance
Space-based Techniques
 Positioning Sun Shields in space to reflect
or deflect solar radiation
 Where (L1)? How many? Design? Deployment?

13. Climate, Technology,
and Governance
Method Comparison

14. Climate, Technology,
and Governance
What we have seen…
 Technologies have been presented that address
what to do. The Challenge is how to execute them
correctly – droplet size, type of aerosol, mirror
configuration etc….
 Disruptive technologies also exist that have proven
how to execute the technology. Our challenge
now is : what to do about it.

15. Climate, Technology,
and Governance
Great Power, Great Responsibility

16. Climate, Technology,
and Governance
Governance
 Kyoto Protocol initiated in 1997
 Adaptation
 Mitigation
 Modest emission-reduction targets are missed
 Countermeasures (geoengineering) needed

17. Climate, Technology,
and Governance
Governance
 No treaty explicitly addresses Geoengineering
 2009 Royal Society report
 Existing national land use planning and
environmental controls are likely to be
applicable
 1972 London Convention on Marine Dumping

18. Climate, Technology,
and Governance
Governance Models
Unilateral Consortium International
Decision Making: Fastest Fast Slowest
Legitimacy: Least More Most
Cost Sharing: Least More Most
 Unilateral
 Unlikely unless already feeling the dramatic results
 Consortium
 Most likely for research and advocacy
 International
 Most likely

19. Climate, Technology,
and Governance
Governance Requirements
 Policy and budget guidelines
 Cost sharing and technology transfer
strategies
 Dispute settlement, compensation and liability
 Answer difficult questions
 Which strategies should be researched/implemented?
 Balance global warming and side effects?
 Take the edge off or substitute for mitigation?
 Long term solution or emergency measure?

20. Climate, Technology,
and Governance
Governance
 UNFCCC Best candidate for International
Governance
 Significance between Protocol and UNFCCC
 Encouraged vs Committed
 Protocol Mechanisms
 Protocol Goals

21. Climate, Technology,
and Governance
Conclusion
 Technology & Governance Battling Climate
Change
 Like most technologies Regulation is
necessary
 Geoengineering capable of significant
positive or negative impacts
 Ethical Positions vs Reality

22. Climate, Technology,
and Governance
Conclusion
 Winning the Battle against Climate Change
 We have the ability to question & understand
the problem
 We have the ability to solve the problem
 Tech & Globalization
 the tools that caused the problem
 served as the vehicle for increased industrial
activity
 the same tools will fix the problem

23. Climate, Technology,
and Governance
Conclusion
 Geoengineering
 Not the only answer
 Part of the solution
 Combined w/ Governance & Commitment
 Reversing the effects of Climate Change

24. Climate, Technology,
and Governance
Governance
 Kyoto Q&A
Protocol/UNFCCC