Megan Smith, author of the acclaimed blog entitled ‘Feasting on Fossil Fuels’, recently sent me an extremely informative article which investigates the current public opinion on geoengineering (Mercer et al., 2011).
The article, which appeared in the Journal of Environmental Research Letters is centered around a recent survey consisting of 18 questions regarding geoengineering techniques and in particular, SRM. However, the results did not really surprise me. Around 72% of respondents supported further research into SRA but most believed that this method alone would not be sufficient to counteract the present changes to climate.
However, geoengineering is not without its critics! It is often seen as an easy way out and merely a temporary solution. The risks are also not fully known, with groups like EcoNexus arguing that even at a micro scale, harmful effects might ensue. The previously mentioned postponing of the SPICE project is evidence for the significant pressure that opponents are exerting on both the government and research groups.
I would be very interested in hearing other peoples views on the matter so please do leave a comment and take the poll
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