Ongoing climate change Numerous technologies attempt to alleviate. These include turbines that capture CO2 directly from the atmosphere, or techniques to emit dust into the atmosphere that filters sunlight. And yet all of this could actually happen harmful to the climate.
UNESCO this week announced that climate engineering, which aims to deliberately change the Earth’s climate to reduce global warming, may be inefficient if it causes governments and companies to forget their obligations to continue their efforts against the climate crisis. As the international organization warns, significantly reducing emissions is the real solution.
In its first report on geoengineering, published right at the beginning of COP28 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), UNESCO warns: These techniques have “unintended consequences.” “From a moral perspective,” he warns that these should be regulated.
The report says these technologies “open the door to an easier way to deal with the climate crisis rather than taking ecological responsibility seriously” and worries that authorities and companies may sideline issues such as reducing fossil fuel use, for example. .
Spreading particles into the atmosphere
Among the main branches of climate engineering, Solar Radiation Management (GRS) stands out. Application of stratospheric aerosols (particles) to reduce solar radiation, and a reduction in the atmosphere of carbon dioxide, a gas that contributes to the greenhouse effect.
“You have to take into account all aspects (of geoengineering), who wins and who loses. It might not be a great idea It’s like they invented a drug to cure cancer and I smoke 28 cigarettes a day.“, observed Mexican Gabriela Ramos, deputy director general of Social and Humanities at UNESCO, one of the authors of this report, according to Efe.
Despite fears that efforts against climate change will be weakened, these technologies are considered the most reliable technologies for reducing global warming and largely consist of: reduce dependence on fossil fuelsUNESCO points to an incipient justice and governance issue.
“Mobilizing these requires international cooperation between countries with different economic interests,” the report says and confirms: Side effects of geoengineering such as aerosol application These particles traveling through the atmosphere from one country to another can create friction between them.
According to Argentinian Inés Camilloni, professor of climatology at the University of Buenos Aires and other author of the report, “Poor countries will not be able to buy some of these technologies”This further deepens inequalities.
Camilloni also warns about the negative environmental impacts of certain geoengineering technologies, such as the extensive use of aircraft to disperse aerosols.
UNESCO is committed to a “more global approach” that allows geoengineering to be integrated into the global structure. polluting gas reduction measures It was adopted internationally to prevent fragmentation and relaxation of the fight against the climate emergency.
“According to the scientific data we have today, Geoengineering techniques cannot be relied upon to make a significant contribution to meeting climate targets. “Due to significant uncertainties and inherent risks,” UNESCO concludes.
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