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U.S. Wants to Block the Sun to Prevent Global Warming
U.S. Wants to Block the Sun to Prevent Global Warming
Source: NewsTarget.com February 01, 2007
Author: David Gutierrez
The U.S. government has officially recommended that scientists research ways to block out the
sun's light as a way to halt global warming without reducing emissions of greenhouse gases.
"The level of environmental insanity among US policymakers reaches new heights with this
proposal," charged Mike Adams, a consumer health advocate and coauthor of "The Real Safety
Guide to Protecting Your Environment ."
"Blocking the sun would devastate global ecosystems, reduce solar power efficiency, harm crops
and disrupt the global food supply. It's an idea so insane it could have only come from politicians,
not genuine scientists."
The suggestion came in the government's official response to a draft report by the United Nations
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The IPCC report, written by climate experts
from around the world, will form the foundation for the next round of international climate
negotiations. The draft was submitted to world governments for comment in 2006.
According to the U.S. response, "modifying solar radiance ... is a very important possibility that
should be considered." Possible techniques for blocking out sunlight include firing giant mirrors into
space, pumping reflective sulfate droplets or dust into the high atmosphere, or thousands of small,
reflective balloons.
The IPCC draft report, commenting on such ideas, called them "speculative, uncosted and with
potential unknown side effects."
Other portions of the report contested by the U.S. included the draft's focus on a binding
international treaty to reduce emissions, and that "the report tends to overstate or focus on the
negative effects of climate change."
By contrast, the U.S. wants an emphasis on voluntary emissions standards and more
responsibilities for poorer countries.
The draft report predicts an average global temperature rise of between 1 and 6.3 degrees from
1990 to 2100. Professor Stephen Schneider, a key figure on the IPCC with more than 30 years of
climate consultation experience, estimated that the average increase is likely to be 3 degrees or
more, with a 10 percent chance of a 6 degree increase or more. He expressed alarm at how slowly
the world has been responding to the threat of global warming.
"Hell, we buy fire insurance based on a 1 percent chance," he said. "If we're going to be risk averse
... we cannot dismiss the possibility of potentially catastrophic outliers and that includes [ice sheets
breaking up], massive species extinctions, intensified hurricanes and all those things. There's at
least a 10 percent chance of that. And that, to me, for a society is too high a risk."
Source: NewsTarget.com February 01, 2007
Author: David Gutierrez
The U.S. government has officially recommended that scientists research ways to block out the
sun's light as a way to halt global warming without reducing emissions of greenhouse gases.
"The level of environmental insanity among US policymakers reaches new heights with this
proposal," charged Mike Adams, a consumer health advocate and coauthor of "The Real Safety
Guide to Protecting Your Environment ."
"Blocking the sun would devastate global ecosystems, reduce solar power efficiency, harm crops
and disrupt the global food supply. It's an idea so insane it could have only come from politicians,
not genuine scientists."
The suggestion came in the government's official response to a draft report by the United Nations
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The IPCC report, written by climate experts
from around the world, will form the foundation for the next round of international climate
negotiations. The draft was submitted to world governments for comment in 2006.
According to the U.S. response, "modifying solar radiance ... is a very important possibility that
should be considered." Possible techniques for blocking out sunlight include firing giant mirrors into
space, pumping reflective sulfate droplets or dust into the high atmosphere, or thousands of small,
reflective balloons.
The IPCC draft report, commenting on such ideas, called them "speculative, uncosted and with
potential unknown side effects."
Other portions of the report contested by the U.S. included the draft's focus on a binding
international treaty to reduce emissions, and that "the report tends to overstate or focus on the
negative effects of climate change."
By contrast, the U.S. wants an emphasis on voluntary emissions standards and more
responsibilities for poorer countries.
The draft report predicts an average global temperature rise of between 1 and 6.3 degrees from
1990 to 2100. Professor Stephen Schneider, a key figure on the IPCC with more than 30 years of
climate consultation experience, estimated that the average increase is likely to be 3 degrees or
more, with a 10 percent chance of a 6 degree increase or more. He expressed alarm at how slowly
the world has been responding to the threat of global warming.
"Hell, we buy fire insurance based on a 1 percent chance," he said. "If we're going to be risk averse
... we cannot dismiss the possibility of potentially catastrophic outliers and that includes [ice sheets
breaking up], massive species extinctions, intensified hurricanes and all those things. There's at
least a 10 percent chance of that. And that, to me, for a society is too high a risk."