The hugely controversial topic of geoengineering is not looking as if it’s going to sort itself out anytime soon. While undertaking this blog, I have formed some very strong views both for and against different geoengineering techniques and the more I read into them, the more my views seem to change and shift between the various proposed solutions.
Over Christmas I mentioned the SPICE project to my family and their general feeling was, “it’s years till we could ever be able to do that” or “it’ll never happen”. When I told them that it was ready to commence last September a look of shock crossed everyones faces.
In my mind, some resolutions are inconceivable (K.I. Roy’s idea of space mirrors for example). However, many techniques are definitely feasible and merely waiting for the go-ahead from governments. But which ones should be implemented? And at what scale? With such global effects of geoengineering, the geopolitical complications involved in implementing any of the ideas are obvious.
However, from my research, I believe that geoengineering should be seen only as a back-up plan. Our primary concern should be with increasing our use of renewable fuels with governments offering significant incentives for ‘green’ industry. However, I also believe that research into geoengineering should increase and where deemed ‘safe’ by independent academics, small scale experimentation should be allowed.
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