S1E7: Geoengineering: Can modifying the climate stop climate change? - Green Pulse Ep 7

Green Pulse Ep 7: Geoengineering: Can modifying the climate stop
climate change?


12:50 mins


Synopsis: In this new podcast series for 2019, The Straits Times
dives into all things green, blue and brown. Green Pulse analyses
the beat of the changing environment, from biodiversity
conservation to climate change.


This month, ST’s environment correspondent Audrey Tan chats with
Dr Corey Gabriel, a climate scientist from the Scripps
Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla, California on
geoengineering - the act of modifying Earth’s natural systems to
reduce the effects of global warming.


There are two main types of geoengineering strategies. The first
is to increase the reflectivity of Earth so the sun’s radiation
is reflected back into space.


This is known as the albedo effect, and scientists think some
ways this can be done is by making marine clouds brighter or by
injecting reflective particles in the stratosphere.


The second is through a process of carbon dioxide removal, where
heat-trapping carbon dioxide is absorbed from the atmosphere
through processes such as ocean fertilisation.


Under this scenario, iron is added to the ocean to help
photosynthetic organisms called phytoplankton grow better. The
theory is that more phytoplankton in the ocean would increase the
drawdown of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, since these
organisms require carbon dioxide to photosynthesise.


To date, geoengineering has remained largely theoretical, and is
clouded by many uncertainties. It is also a thorny issue that
some feel detracts attention away from climate change mitigation,
or the need to drastically cut emissions from fossil fuels.


Hear from Dr Gabriel on the types of geoengineering strategies
and their surrounding controversies, and what this could mean for
the global climate change debate.


Produced by: Audrey Tan (audreyt@sph.com.sg) and Ernest
Luis


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