ITS EDUCATION ASIA ARTICLE

Geo-engineering for the climate crisis

By Danny Harrington, MD ITS Education Asia

If we are to slow human driven global heating, or even reverse it, the top level solution is clear. We have to stop our interference in the carbon cycle. Carbon dioxide (CO₂) and methane (CH₄) are the two most important GHGs. Carbon dioxide due to its prevalence, methane due to its impact (holding 22 times more energy than CO₂). The only feasible approach to such an enormous, global problem must be multi-faceted. The SDGs are deliberately cross-sectorial so that as many policies as possible can have a positive climate impact alongside their primary focus. We need to change individual behaviour especially relating to consumption and waste, and we need to have systemic change driven by government regulation and corporate decisions to act in a broader interest. Another element will be our technical expertise and ability to contribute to removing carbon from the atmosphere and getting it back into storage using new technologies. these may be broadly referred to as geo-engineering and can happen at a variety of scales and at a variety of points in the carbon cycle. Have a look at this Guardian article for a good overview including links to further detail.