I encountered this blog post on mastodon and I'm wondering what would people's thoughts be on this. It has some strong arguments in favor of SAI.
maybe because every time we try and fix something instead of make changes to ourselves to fix the thing, it turns out to be a bucket of shit
The main problems I have with it is::
Once you begin (without actually reducing co2 emissions), you can never stop.
You will have to increase the rate of SAI every decade, in perpetuity.
If, for any reason (war, political instability, economic burden etc), the SAI stops the rapid change in temperatures will be devastating to ecosystems on a level that would make our current rate of change look like paradise.
From what I remember of the effect the Mt Pinatubo eruption in 1991 had of global warming the effects disappear within 5 years. If humans want to reverse warming we will have to push well past the "safe max co2" of 350ppm.
My little End of SAI Nightmare Senario.
Its 2100 After 50 years of SAI pegged as if there is only 200ppm of co2 in the atmosphere. The actual level is some where between 800 - 1000 ppm.
The SAI stops. In effect the earth goes from 200ppm to 800 - 1000 ppm in five years.
Climate engineering solutions have the problem of being inherently international. One country can't just start injecting aerosols into the stratosphere without every other country on Earth freaking out. It'd require a level of international cooperation that just doesn't exist.
One country can’t just start injecting aerosols into the stratosphere without every other country on Earth freaking out.
Are you sure about that?
That is what climate change is. Nations pumping what ever amount of co2 into the atmosphere while the rest of the world does nothing.
I'm sure that it would cause international tensions and lots of saber rattling. Maybe it'd amount to nothing, but if China started doing this in the next few years you know the US would freak the fuck out.
Termination Shock by Neal Stephenson deals with this scenario, an good read if you're interested
tomorrow in the news: A billionaire starts building a train destined to become humanity’s ark.
We're reactionary so nothing is going to change until bottom line of the big players gets hit.
