Advancing the Science of Climate Change (2010)
Chapter: Appendix F: Geoengineering Options to Respond to Climate Change: Steps to Establish a Research Agenda
APPENDIX F
Geoengineering Options to Respond to Climate Change: Steps to Establish a Research Agenda
A Workshop to Provide Input to the America’s Climate Choices Study
June 15-16, 2009
Washington Court Hotel
525 New Jersey Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20001
WORKSHOP OBJECTIVE AND SCOPE
The workshop will inform the work of the America’s Climate Choices suite of activities by examining a number of proposed “geoengineering” approaches, or interventions in the climate system designed to diminish the amount of climate change occurring after greenhouse gases or radiatively active aerosols are released to the atmosphere. The emphasis of the workshop will be on the research needed to better understand the potential efficacy and consequences of various geoengineering approaches.
The workshop will draw on a growing body of studies and previous workshops that have examined a broad range of geoengineering issues—from the international governance of deliberate climate interventions to the feasibility of specific approaches. The particular focus of this workshop will be approaches (i) to reduce concentrations of greenhouse gases after they have been emitted to the atmosphere (e.g., CO2 capture approaches) or (ii) to limit or offset physical effects of increased greenhouse gas concentrations (e.g., Solar Radiation Management approaches). Other parts of the America’s Climate Choices study are addressing approaches to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate change. Furthermore, there is already a developed research effort in CO2 capture by conventional land-management approaches (e.g., conventional afforestation). Thus, these topics will be outside the scope of this workshop.
The workshop will be structured to bring multiple perspectives to the table—engineering, physical and environmental science, social science, policy, legal, and ethical—
to encourage an interdisciplinary dialogue and exchange of ideas, with an emphasis on the research needed to better understand the potential efficacy and consequences of various geoengineering approaches.
Workshop Agenda
Monday, June 15
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8:00 |
Registration |
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8:30 |
Welcome |
Ralph Cicerone, National Academy of Sciences |
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8:45 |
Meeting Overview—Day 1: “Getting the Issues on the Table” |
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Pamela Matson, Stanford University |
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9:00 |
Survey of Geoengineering Options (Including Estimates of Effectiveness, Risk, and Cost) |
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Ken Caldeira, Carnegie Institution |
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9:40 |
Engineering: Important Questions, State of Knowledge, and Major Uncertainties Related to Selected Geoengineering Options |
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David Keith, University of Calgary |
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10:20 |
Break |
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10:50 |
Physical Science: Important Questions, State of Knowledge, and Major Uncertainties Related to Selected Geoengineering Options |
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Daniel Schrag, Harvard University |
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11:30 |
Terrestrial Ecosystems, Complexity, and Geoengineering |
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Tony Janetos, University of Maryland |
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12:00 |
Working Lunch (Informal Discussion) |
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1:00 |
From Research to Field Testing and Deployment: Ethical Issues Raised By Geoengineering (Panel Discussion) |
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Martin Bunzl, Rutgers University (Moderator) Stephen Gardiner, University of Washington Dale Jamieson, New York University William Travis, University of Colorado |
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2:00 |
Governance and Geoengineering: Who Decides and How (Panel Discussion) |
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Granger Morgan, Carnegie Mellon University (Moderator) John Steinbruner, University of Maryland Jason Blackstock, IIASA Jay Apt, Carnegie Mellon University |
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3:00 |
Assignments/instructions to breakout groups and 20-minute break |
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3:30 |
Breakout Session 1 |
All Participants |
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5:30 |
Adjourn for the day |
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Tuesday, June 16
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8:30 |
Summary of Day 1/Plan for Day 2: “The Way Forward” |
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Pamela Matson, Stanford University |
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8:45 |
Report back from breakout groups and discussion |
All Participants |
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10:15 |
Break |
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10:45 |
Reactions/Perspectives on Geoengineering (Panel Discussion) |
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Rob Socolow, Princeton University (Moderator) James Fleming, Colby College Michael Oppenheimer, Princeton University Alan Robock, Rutgers University Brian Toon, University of Colorado |
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11:45 |
Assignments/instructions to new breakout groups |
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12:00 |
Working Lunch |
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1:00 |
Breakout Session 2, including 20-minute break |
All Participants |
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2:45 |
Report back from breakout groups following by open discussion |
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All Participants |
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4:00 |
Workshop Adjourns |
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