David Keith suggests releasing sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere to lower global temperatures, igniting both interest and concern over the potential risks and benefits of geoengineering.
David Keith proposes using sulfur dioxide in the stratosphere to reduce global warming, drawing parallels to the cooling effect of the 1991 Mount Pinatubo eruption.
Critics fear geoengineering could lead to unforeseen global consequences, such as altered weather patterns and health risks, and divert attention from reducing fossil fuel use.
Keith acknowledges the risks but emphasizes the potential to save millions of lives by mitigating heat-related deaths.
Key quote:
“There are unintended consequences of powerful technologies like these, and we have no idea what they will be.”
Solar geoengineering is a bandaid on symptoms that would leave the cause untouched, but it's unclear if that's as true for oceanic carbon geoengineering.
Companies leading the hunt for ways to skim carbon dioxide from the air are attracting interest from big deep-pocketed corporations - including oil companies.
