Climate Geoengineering is usually seperated into two categories;
1) Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR)
2) Solar Radiation Management (SRM)My research aim is to gauge the public on their perceptions of the following SRM methods as well their perceptions of the risks of such technology.
I would like you, the public, to read the following text and watch the short video before commenting on the bottom of this post anything you would like to say about SRM or the individual technologies highlighted.
It would be very helpful for me and my research if you could also make a comment about any risks you think could be associated when it comes to implementing these strategies.
Your comments can be as negative or positive as you like, each one will be anonymous.
As a result of your help, I will begin to understand what the publics perception of SRM is and come to conclusions into why, out of the two categories, SRM is less favoured by the public.
An introduction to SRM
Solar Radiation Management (SRM) is the method which attempts to offset the effects of increased greenhouse gas concentrations by increasing the albedo of the Earth. In other words, lowering the Earth's absorption of solar radiation. It is worth mentioning that this method, unlike CDR, does not attempt to reduce emissions but slow the effects of increased anthropogenic emissions.
This short video explains what SRM is exactly and highlights some of the methods involved in SRM as well explaining some of the costs and benefits of the technology.
Source: courtesy of the Environmental Defence Fund
The following selections of SRM methods are highlighted in the video above. There are 3 main types of SRM methods. Each have been considered as potential solutions to slow the effects of climate change and global warming.
Space Based
Terrestrial Albedo ModificationSpace Based
- Mirrors in space - this method could deflect a percentage of solar sunlight into space.
- Mining moon dust - this method could create a shielding cloud from solar radiation.
- Cool Roof - Painting pavements and roof materials in white or pale colours to reflect solar radiation, known as 'cool roof' technology, is encouraged by legislation in some areas. This is a benign technique, and it can reduce the need for air conditioning.
- Farming, Forestry, and Land Management - Reforestation in tropical areas has a cooling effect.
- Deforestation of high-latitude - As high-altitude forests exposes snow that increases albedo. Changes to grassland could increase albedo, and selecting or genetically modifying commercial crops with high albedo has been suggested.
- Stratospheric Sulfur Aerosols- This modifies the Earth's albedo with reflective or absorptive materials spread over portions of its surface.
- Cloud Seeding - proposes the use of airliners to distribute the cloud-seeding materials or the burning of sulfur in ships or power plants to form sulfate aerosol in order to stimulate additional low marine clouds to reflect sunlight.
Hopefully this has given you a good basic knowledge on what SRM is, the next step is to comment in the box below. Please also feel free to respond to other peoples comments as this is your voice. Just a quick note as well, at the bottom of the screen there is a drop down menu, if you click on this it will have an 'anonymous' option for the comments, it would be great if you could use this please.
I would like to thank all of you who took part, with out you this would not be possible for me to accomplish my research.
If there are any problems or would like to know more please email me at 'yourvoicesrm@gmail.com'
Thanks
Scott Sleight
