Naomi Klein on Geoengineering

Here is her NY Times piece and here is a direct quote:

“Mr. George and his ocean-altering experiment provides an opportunity for public debate about an issue essentially absent during the election cycle: What are the real solutions to climate change? Wouldn’t it be better to change our behavior — to reduce our use of fossil fuels — before we begin fiddling with the planet’s basic life-support systems?

Unless we change course, we can expect to hear many more reports about sun-shielders and ocean fiddlers like Mr. George, whose iron dumping exploit did more than test a thesis about ocean fertilization: it also tested the waters for future geoengineering experiments. And judging by the muted response so far, the results of Mr. George’s test are clear: geoengineers proceed, caution be damned.”

I’m confused about what she is trying to achieve with this piece.   This piece will not nudge the world to embrace a carbon tax.  Growth in the developing world will continue and thus world GHG emissions will continue to rise.  Taking this reality as a given, what happens next?  Do you embrace adaptation and/or do we explore geo-engineering options?   Pro-active people, cities and nations have a better chance to cope with the “new normal”.

Reader Comments

4 Replies to “Naomi Klein on Geoengineering”

  1. I quote: “This piece will not nudge the world to embrace a carbon tax.” Quite right. If carbon tax is all you can think of when talk of environment comes up you are a true believer in AGW. One who thinks that carbon will kill us if we don’t tax it. How do you know so much about carbon?

  2. I quote: “This piece will not nudge the world to embrace a carbon tax.” Quite right. If carbon tax is all you can think of when talk of environment comes up you are a true believer in AGW. One who thinks that carbon will kill us if we don’t tax it. How do you know so much about carbon?

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About Matthew

Matthew E. Kahn is a Professor at the UCLA Institute of the Environment, the Department of Economics, and the Department of Public Policy. He is a research associate at t…

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About Matthew

Matthew E. Kahn is a Professor at the UCLA Institute of the Environment, the Department of Economics, and the Department of Public Policy. He is a research associate at t…

READ more