[Debate] (Fwd) False solutions: even US gov't reviewers confess techie 'climate engineering' is 'immature', essentially hopeless

[Patrick Bond]

(It's not as if Washington's corporate-controlled government doesn't 
have adequate information that should cancel all their climate policies. 
One of the best progressive sources on this issue, are at 
http://www.etcgroup.org/ )

http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-71



What GAO found
Climate engineering technologies do not now offer a viable response to 
global climate change. Experts advocating research to develop and 
evaluate the technologies believe that research on these technologies is 
urgently needed or would provide an insurance policy against worst case 
climate scenarios---but caution that the misuse of research could bring 
new risks. Government reports and the literature suggest that research 
progress will require not only technology studies but also efforts to 
improve climate models and data.
The technologies being proposed have been categorized as carbon dioxide 
removal (CDR) and solar radiation management (SRM). CDR would reduce the 
atmospheric concentration of CO2, allowing more heat to escape and thus 
cooling the Earth. For example, proposed CDR technologies include 
enhancing the uptake of CO2 in oceans and forests and capturing CO2 from 
air chemically for storage underground. SRM technologies would place 
reflective material in space or in Earth's atmosphere to scatter or 
reflect sunlight (for example, by injecting sulfate aerosols into the 
stratosphere to scatter incoming solar radiation or brightening clouds) 
or would increase the planet's reflectivity (for example, by painting 
roofs and pavements in light colors). (See figure.)
GAO found these technologies currently immature, many with potentially 
negative consequences. Some studies say, for example, that stratospheric 
aerosols might greatly reduce summer
precipitation in places such as India and northern China.


***

GAO on another False Solution: carbon offsetting

What GAO Found
According to experts, stakeholders, and available information, key 
challenges in assessing the quality of offset projects include the 
following:
. Additionality. According to many experts and stakeholders GAO 
interviewed, additionality is the primary challenge to offset quality. 
Assessing additionality is difficult because it involves determining 
what emissions would have been without the incentives provided by the 
offset program. Studies suggest that existing programs have awarded 
offsets that were not additional.
. Measuring and managing soil and forestry offsets. For projects that 
store carbon in soils and forests, it is challenging to estimate the 
amount of carbon stored and to manage the risk that carbon may later be 
released by, for example, fires or changes in land management. Some 
studies have estimated that projects involving soils and forestry could 
constitute the majority of offsets under a U.S. program.
. Verification. Experts and stakeholders said that verifying offsets in 
existing markets has presented several challenges. In particular, 
project developers and offset buyers may have few incentives to report 
information accurately or to investigate offset quality.

United States Government Accountability Office
Report to the Chairman, Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, 
House of Representatives
CLIMATE CHANGE ISSUES
Options for Addressing Challenges to Carbon Offset Quality
Washington, Feb 2011



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