The most potent weapon against the EU may be the weather. How the next phase of Moscow's energy war plays out in large part depends on something no politician or scientists can control — the weather. Hmm... It's time to prepare for technologies that manipulate the climate.
Sticks of silver iodide are fired into the atmosphere to produce precipitation. Tiny particles are suspended in the stratosphere to block the sun's rays. Massive filters and underground pumps can siphon carbon from the air.
Geoengineering, the intentional manipulation of the climate, is quickly emerging as a tool to address global warming. Even though these technologies could have world-altering consequences, there is no international agreement or enforcement mechanism that directly addresses geoengineering. Without regulation, it would only take one country—watching its crops shrivel or its water run dry—taking a chance to set a global climate experiment in motion, potentially leading to conflict. And then, there’s the Russian Federation. Geoengineering ideas have a long history in Russia—and now, they appear to be moving to the next scientific level.
Although so far it has received little or no attention, the journal Russian Meteorology and Hydrology recently published a new kind of geoengineering study whose lead author is the journal’s editor, the prominent Russian scientist Yuri A. Izrael. Known for his opposition to the Kyoto Protocol, his skepticism of human-caused global warming, and his enthusiasm for geoengineering, Izrael also happens to be a top scientific adviser to Vladimir Putin. And now, his paper reports on what is probably the very first geoengineering field trial. Izrael and his team of scientists mounted aerosol generators on a helicopter and a car chassis and proceeded to blast out particles at ground level and at heights of up to 200 meters. Then they attempted to measure just how much sunlight reaching the earth was reduced due to the aerosol plume.
This small-scale intervention was effective, the Russian scientists say. And in an accompanying article on geoengineering alternatives, Izrael and colleagues note that “Already in the near future, the technological possibilities of a full-scale use of [aerosol-based geoengineering] will be studied.”
Up until now, scientists have largely studied the possibilities of geoengineering in relatively unthreatening computer models—not out in nature itself. They’ve just run a series of simulations to try to assess likely impacts. In this context, the apparent trajectory of Russian research sounds like something quite new. And it may prompt increasing calls for regulation of geoengineering interventions, even at the small-scale research level where environmental consequences would be relatively minimal.
The time to establish international agreements on geoengineering is now, while the risks are still theoretical. In particular, any further devastating climate impacts, particularly to vulnerable low-lying developing countries, may draw new calls for geoengineering research or interventions. And given the current state of deliberations in Copenhagen, that’s the scariest thing of all.
More info: https://map.geoengineeringmonitor.org/
Geoengineering is the deliberate large-scale intervention in the Earth’s natural systems to counteract climate change.
There is a wide range of proposed geoengineering techniques. Generally, these can be grouped into two categories:
Solar Radiation Management (SRM) or Solar Geoengineering
SRM techniques aim to reflect a small proportion of the Sun’s energy back into space, counteracting the temperature rise caused by increased levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere which absorb energy and raise temperatures. Some proposed techniques include:
Albedo enhancement. Increasing the reflectiveness of clouds or the land surface so that more of the Sun’s heat is reflected back into space.
Space reflectors. Blocking a small proportion of sunlight before it reaches the Earth.
Stratospheric aerosols. Introducing small, reflective particles into the upper atmosphere to reflect some sunlight before it reaches the surface of the Earth.
Greenhouse Gas Removal (GGR) or Carbon Geoengineering
GGR techniques aim to remove carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gases from the atmosphere, directly countering the increased greenhouse effect and ocean acidification. These techniques would have to be implemented on a global scale to have a significant impact on greenhouse gas levels in the atmosphere. Some proposed techniques include:
Afforestation. Engaging in a global-scale tree planting effort.
Biochar. 'Charring' biomass and burying it so that its carbon is locked up in the soil.
Bio-energy with carbon capture and sequestration. Growing biomass, burning it to create energy, and capturing and sequestering the carbon dioxide created in the process.
Ambient Air Capture. Building large machines that can remove carbon dioxide directly from ambient air and store it elsewhere.
Ocean Fertilisation. Adding nutrients to the ocean in selected locations increases primary production which draws down carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
Enhanced Weathering. Exposing large quantities of minerals that will react with carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and storing the resulting compound in the ocean or soil.
Ocean Alkalinity Enhancement. Grinding up, dispersing, and dissolving rocks such as limestone, silicates, or calcium hydroxide in the ocean increases its ability to store carbon and directly ameliorate ocean acidification.
Russian scientists, in the relevant fields, have long predicted cooling due to low solar activity. Russia knows where global temperatures are headed. It could be argued that their recent geopolitical maneuverings are tied to this.
ReplyDelete“The Sun defines the climate, not carbon dioxide,” so says eminent Russian space scientist, Habibullo Abdussamatov (Dr. Sc. – Head of Space research laboratory of the Pulkovo Observatory).
Observations of the Sun show that carbon dioxide is “not guilty” for the steady increase in temperature observed over the past few decades, he continues, and that what lies ahead in the coming years is not warming but a global and very prolonged bout of cooling.
“We should fear a deep temperature drop — not catastrophic global warming,” warns Abdussamatov, who was one of the researchers featured in the 2009 U.S. Senate Report of More Than 700 Dissenting Scientists Over Man-Made Global Warming.
“Humanity must survive the serious economic, social, demographic and political consequences of a global temperature drop, which will directly affect the national interests of almost all countries and more than 80% of the population of the Earth.”
Although the most prominent, Abdussamatov is far from the only Russian scientist forecasting cooling.
Alexander Makarov, director of the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute, told reporters this week that lower air temperatures and much larger volumes of ice are expected in the Arctic over the coming years.
“According to certain estimations, before 2050, ice in the Arctic will remain 100%,” he said. “Moreover, the forecasts say we are entering a stage of certain chilling, which is related to the 70-year chilling-warming cycle. In fact, within a few years, the situation along the Northern Sea Route will change rather substantially.”
Answering claims of so-called ‘catastrophic anthropogenic global warming, Makarov points out that ice conditions are not changing as unambiguously as the models foretold, noting that there is no linear decrease in ice.
“This year, at the end of August, we saw more ice in the Chukchi Sea — to the highest levels in over 20 years,” added Makarov.
Ministri vanjskih poslova vojnog saveza NATO-a traže načine na razgovorima u glavnome rumunjskom gradu Bukureštu kako bi održali kijevsku vojsku i pomogli u očuvanju sigurnosti civila usred stalnih nestanaka struje i nestašica grijanja.
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Britanski ministar vanjskih poslova James Cleverly optužio je Putina da cilja civilnu i energetsku infrastrukturu kako bi pokušao smrznuti Ukrajince i natjerati ih na pokornost.