How crazy can it get? Scientists propose sun block for the entire planet to save it. (NaturalNews) In an article published in the journal
Nature,
three scientists have called for governments to fund a massive research
effort in ways to shield the planet from solar radiation as a way to
stave off global warming.
"The idea of deliberately manipulating Earth's energy balance to offset
human-driven climate change strikes many as dangerous hubris," wrote
David Keith of the University of Calgary, Canada, Edward Parson of the
University of Michigan and Granger Morgan of Carnegie Mellon
University.
"Many
scientists have argued against research on
solar radiation management, saying that developing the capability to perform such tasks will reduce the political will to lower
greenhouse gas emissions. We think that the risks of not doing
research outweigh the risks of doing it."
The practice of "geoengineering" consists of finding ways to limit the amount of solar
radiation reaching the earth, thus slowing the rate of planetary warming.
Suggested methods include simulating a massive volcanic eruption by
generating sulphate aerosols high in
the atmosphere,
or spraying tiny seawater droplets to create low clouds over the
ocean. Although the subject was considered fringe only a few years ago,
scientific interest in geoengineering is on the rise.
The article's authors noted that geoengineering cannot be a substitute for reductions of greenhouse gas
emissions, but could stave off catastrophic warming until emissions reductions can take effect.
Suggested drawbacks of geoengineering include altering weather patterns
and a failure to address increasing acidity of oceans caused by
increased carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere.
The scientists said that the time to study the benefits and drawbacks
of geoengineering is now, before countries are driven by desperation to
initiate projects on their own, without international consensus.
"It is plausible that, after exhausting other avenues to limit climate
risks,
such a nation might decide to begin a gradual, well-monitored program
of deployment, even without any international agreement on its
regulation," they warned. "In this case, one nation -- which need not
be a large and rich industrialized country -- could seize the
initiative on global climate, making it extremely difficult for other
powers to restrain it."
Source:-
http://www.naturalnews.com/028933_global_warming_solar_radiation.html