EU Warns Against Potential "Unintended Consequences" Of Geoengineering

EU Warns Against Potential "Unintended Consequences" Of Geoengineering

TYLER DURDEN

An increasing number of climate alarmists who trust "global warming science" have pitched the idea of large-scale interventions such as solar engineering to reverse 'climate change.' They believe human activity is the sole reason for the Earth's increase in temperature and say large-scale intervention is immediately needed to stop the planet's destruction. Some have even called for fleets of planes to spray chemicals into the atmosphere to deflect the sun's rays as the world's last hope for survival. 

But not so fast. A report published by the European Commission on Thursday outlined the potential risks and "unintended consequences" of manipulating planetary systems to fight global warming. 

The commission warned:

In the context of accelerated global warming, deliberate large-scale intervention in the Earth's natural systems (referred to as "geoengineering"), such as solar radiation modification, is attracting more attention. However, the risks, impacts and unintended consequences that these technologies pose are poorly understood, and necessary rules, procedures and institutions have not been developed. 

Some of these risks include:

These technologies introduce new risks to people and ecosystems, while they could also increase power imbalances between nations, spark conflicts and raises a myriad of ethical, legal, governance and political issues. 

Meanwhile, scientists from Harvard University have called for "spraying tiny particles called sulfate aerosols into the atmosphere to reflect away sunlight." And MIT recently wrote, "Geoengineering might be our final and only option." 

Speaking to reporters this week, Frans Timmermans, the European Union climate policy chief, said, "Nobody should be conducting experiments alone with our shared planet" and "This should be discussed in the right forum, at the highest international level." 

European leaders are worried that geoengineering experiments could go horribly wrong if unchecked. The risks of manipulating Earth's climate need to be better understood, and necessary rules and procedures are needed.