posted 07-21-2003 02:02 AM            

Aigina: Protest meeting on aerosol spraying

The peculiar spraying which, as an environmental experiment, appears to have taken place in Aigina several months ago, as was revealed by ‘Ethnos on Sunday’, was the subject of a public meeting which took place on Wednesday on the island, at the initiative of local residents.

In an ‘Ethnos on Sunday’ report of 16th February, the environmental chemist Leonidas Kardaras, the Australian ecological activist Wayne Hall and the former parliamentarian of the Ecologists-Alternatives Tasia Andreadaki revealed that since the end of 2002 aerosol spraying for purposes of climate control has been taking place in our country. The probability of aerosol spraying with aluminium oxide mixed with other chemicals dangerous to health, as has already been noted in America and Europe, has aroused uneasiness in the residents of the picturesque island.

‘New World Order’ Barbarity

‘If something like this is happening unknown to us, it is an example of New World Order barbarity’, says teacher George Kyriakou, a member of the ‘Aigina Citizens’ Initiative’, who organized the meeting last Wednesday with key speaker the scientist from Democritos Nikos Katsaros.

‘The aerosol spraying scenario was inspired by internationally known scientists from as early as the 1970s. Obviously the approach that has prevailed is that of the ‘father of the H-bomb’ Edward Teller, who proposed spraying the entire planet with chemicals to reflect the dangerous ultra-violet rays of the sun but also allowing the heat to escape,’ says Wayne Hall.

Mr. Katsaros, research director at Democritos and vice-president of the Union of Greek Chemists, gave a rundown of all the experiments up to this day which have been dangerous to humanity and have taken place secretly, only to be revealed subsequently.

posted 07-22-2003 07:53 PM            

Advanced Technology Paths to Global Climate Stability: Energy for a Greenhouse Planet

posted 07-22-2003 08:00 PM            

Scientists studying trees ranging from saplings to 130 years old in Canada’s northern forests have discovered that the period since a fire last swept through an area determines how much carbon the forest can store. Twenty to forty year old stands absorb more carbon than those 70 years old and older, despite being smaller and having less biomass or plant material..... [continued]
http://www.gsfc.nasa.gov/topstory/2003/0311firecarbon.html

posted 07-22-2003 08:17 PM            

Biological and Environmental Research Advisory Committee (BERAC) Meeting
Office of Biological and Environmental Research
Office of Science
U.S. Department of Energy

DATE: November 27-28, 2001

LOCATION: American Geophysical Union, Washington, D.C. The meeting was announced in the Federal Register.

Excerpt:

Ari Patrinos – National Climate Change Technology Initiative

President’s June 11, 2001, Commission

-- Evaluate current state of US climate change technology research

-- Provide guidance on strengthening basic research including development of advanced mitigation technologies to reduce green house gas emissions

-- Develop opportunities to enhance public-private partnerships

-- Make recommendations for funding demonstration projects for cutting edge technologies

-- Develop improved technologies for measuring and monitoring greenhouse gas emissions

A technology R&D call with climate change at its center – the first time for this focus. A new commitment to take this seriously. While this initiative may not appear in the FY03 request, the seeds for the future will be planted.

Deputy Secretary of Energy has lead with others involved – State, EPA, USDA, Commerce (co-lead), OSTP, OMB

-- Workshops held and white papers developed

-- Integration paper being written to serve as center of recommendation from Secretary to President in January 2002.

Long term goal of stabilizing green house gases in the atmosphere in this century means that we need to get to zero net carbon emissions this century. Tall order given humanity’s reliance on fossil fuels.

There is a need for “innovative concepts along unconventional paths.” We don’t want to (and can’t) continue to do the same old thing as we move forward.

Jae Edmonds of Battelle Pacific Northwest Lab is one of the key drivers and authors in this initiative.

Carbon cycle research will be more important than ever – what are the sinks and sources? This will also underpin future need to measure and monitor, i.e., enforce carbon emissions, sequestration, etc.

Have still not agreed as a community on the stabilized level of green house gases in the atmosphere that will “prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system.” Range of what constitutes a dangerous level can guide our path forward.

Overall, the initiative will have activities with short, medium, and long-range (50-60 year) impacts. Biotechnology is, in many ways, at the heart of the long-term solutions. Genomes to Life will be a major contributor. END Excerpt.

posted 07-22-2003 08:29 PM            

Excerpt:

Geoengineering?

posted 07-22-2003 09:49 PM            

4.7 Biological Uptake in Oceans and Freshwater Reservoirs, and Geo-engineering

Excerpt:

The term “geo-engineering” has been used to characterize large-scale, deliberate manipulations of earth environments (NAS, 1992; Marland, 1996; Flannery et al., 1997). Keith (2001) emphasizes that it is the deliberateness that distinguishes geo-engineering from other large-scale, human impacts on the global environment; impacts such as those that result from large-scale agriculture, global forestry activities, or fossil fuel combustion.

Management of the biosphere, as discussed in this chapter, has sometimes been included under the heading of geo-engineering (e.g., NAS, 1992) although the original usage of the term geo-engineering was in reference to a proposal to collect CO2 at power plants and inject it into deep ocean waters (Marchetti, 1976).

The concept of geo-engineering also includes the possibility of engineering the earth’s climate system by large-scale manipulation of the global energy balance. It has been estimated, for example, that the mean effect on the earth surface energy balance from a doubling of CO2 could be offset by an increase of 1.5% to 2% in the earth’s albedo, i.e. by reflecting additional incoming solar radiation back into space.

Because these later concepts offer a potential approach for mitigating changes in the global climate, and because they are treated nowhere else in this volume, these additional geo-engineering concepts are introduced briefly here.

Summaries by Early (1989), NAS (1992), and Flannery et al. (1997) consider a variety of ways by which the albedo of the earth might be increased to try to compensate for an increase in the concentration of infrared absorbing gases in the atmosphere (see also Dickinson, 1996).

The possibilities include atmospheric aerosols, reflective balloons, and space mirrors. Most recently, work by Teller et al. (1997) has re-examined the possibility of optical scattering, either in space or in the stratosphere, to alter the earth’s albedo and thus to modulate climate.

The latter work captures the essence of the concept and is summarized briefly here to provide an example of what is envisioned. In agreement with the 1992 NAS study, Teller et al. (1997) found that ~107 t of dielectric aerosols of ~100 nm diameter would be sufficient to increase the albedo of the earth by ~1%.

They showed that the required mass of a system based on alumina particles would be similar to that of a system based on sulphuric acid aerosol, but the alumina particles offer different environmental impact.

In addition, Teller et al. (1997) demonstrate that use of metallic or optically resonant scatterers can, in principle, greatly reduce the required total mass of scattering particles required.

Two configurations of metal scatterers that were analyzed in detail are mesh microstructures and micro-balloons. Conductive metal mesh is the most mass-efficient configuration.

The thickness of the mesh wires is determined by the skin-depth of optical radiation in the metal, about 20 nm, and the spacing of wires is determined by the wavelength of scattered light, about 300nm. In principle, only ~105t of such mesh structures are required to achieve the benchmark 1% increase in albedo.

The proposed metal balloons have diameters of ~4 mm and a skin thickness of ~20nm. They are hydrogen filled and are designed to float at altitudes of ~25km. The total mass of the balloon system would be ~106t. Because of the much longer stratospheric residence time of the balloon system, the required mass flux (e.g., tonnes replaced per year) to sustain the two systems would be comparable.

Finally, Teller et al. (1997) show that either system, if fabricated in aluminium, can be designed to have long stratospheric lifetimes yet oxidize rapidly in the troposphere, ensuring that few particles are deposited on the surface.

One of the perennial concerns about possibilities for modifying the earth’s radiation balance has been that even if these methods could compensate for increased GHGs in the global and annual mean, they might have very different spatial and temporal effects and impact the regional and seasonal climates in a very different way than GHGs.

Recent analyses using the CCM3 climate model (Govindasamy and Caldeira, 2000) suggest, however, that a 1.7% decrease in solar luminosity would closely counterbalance a doubling of CO2 at the regional and seasonal scale (in addition to that at the global and annual scale) despite differences in radiative forcing patterns.

It is unclear whether the cost of these novel scattering systems would be less than that of the older proposals, as is claimed by Teller et al. (1997), because although the system mass would be less, the scatterers may be much more costly to fabricate.

However, it is unlikely that cost would play an important role in the decision to deploy such a system.

Even if we accept the higher cost estimates of the NAS (1992) study, the cost may be very small compared to the cost of other mitigation options (Schelling, 1996).

It is likely that issues of risk, politics (Bodansky, 1996), and environmental ethics (Jamieson, 1996) will prove to be the decisive factors in real choices about implementation.

The importance of the novel scattering systems is not in minimizing cost, but in their potential to minimize risk.

Two of the key problems with earlier proposals were the potential impact on atmospheric chemistry, and the change in the ratio of direct to diffuse solar radiation, and the associated whitening of the visual appearance of the sky.

The proposals of Teller el al. (1997) suggest that the location, scattering properties, and chemical reactivity of the scatterers could, in principle, be tuned to minimize both of these impacts.

posted 07-22-2003 11:56 PM            

Excerpts:

Given the worst case scenario (or one of them), geo-engineering would be required to give us some breathing space to make radical changes in our emissions and/or adapt to the new environment.

During the class we talked about the possible shutdown of the Atlantic ocean current system (and being Scottish I an rather keen to ensure the continuing warming effect of the Gulf stream!) - it was then postulated that the blocking of the Mediterranean at the Rock of Gibralter would prevent this.

On this general theme I have 3 questions.

1. How would blocking the Med ensure the North Atlantic currents kept functioning?

2. How long would geo-engineering measures (eg seeding the atmosphere with inhibiting aerosols give us?

3. Could we use these scenarios to 'scare' people into acting now or would it merely lull them into a false sense of security?

Reply:

Your question 2 was on how long geoengineering measures such as seeding the atmosphere with aerosols would give us?

Here there are multiple tradeoffs at stake and there is no definitive time answer to your question. It depends how much we want to trade off some things versus other things.

For instance we can continue to seed the atmosphere with aerosols (or put sails in space) to increase the earth's albedo to keep pace with the increase in greenhouse forcing. We will just have to keep putting more and more aerosols up as the greenhouse forcing increases with time. This will get more and more expensive (unless the delivery cost of putting them into the stratosphere comes down with time) and the side effects of spreading aerosols through the stratosphere will also presumably increase the more we put up there (aerosols will fall out of the stratosphere into the troposphere and so will pollute the troposphere. On the plus side, we'll have great sunsets!)

At some point we might decide that the cure (aerosols in the stratosphere and attendant costs and side effects) is worse than the disease (greenhouse warming). But that is a multi-valued trade-off and it is not easy to say just when the tradeoff point is reached. END Excerpt.
http://hdgc.epp.cmu.edu/eppclass/wwwboard/messages/35.html

-------------------------=>

James Risbey was associated with Carnegie Mellon University [Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania] as a Research Fellow in Climatology and Public Policy at the time of the above newsgroup dialog.

Neil Strachan
http://www.pewclimate.org/about/strachan.cfm

-------------------------=>

Here's an interesting reference to some institutions whose names will be recognized by many on this board:

http://sedac.ciesin.org/mva/MVAUG/ugwho.html#cmu

-------------------------=>

halvah, I hope you can use some of this material. It's just a drop in the bucket, really, but it's pretty substantive stuff given that the issue under discussion is nothing but a Twisted Commie Hoax, yeah?

Keep us posted re: Algina.

posted 07-23-2003 12:52 AM            

Group backs climate change lawsuits

A coalition of lawyers, academics and environmental organisations in July announced its backing for legal cases relating to climate change.

Seventy individuals and organisations from 29 countries have formed the Climate Justice Programme (CJP) and will use existing laws to support lawsuits against businesses responsible for climate damage. Two cases are already underway in the US.

According to Roda Verheyen of the CJP, "the science of climate change has developed in legally significant ways. We now need to take that science to the courts so that greenhouse gas emissions cannot continue with impunity. We will try to enforce internationally and collaboratively the laws that exist now, to hold perpetrators accountable and liable for the consequences of their actions."

[Free registration required for this site.]
http://www.ethicalcorp.com/content.asp?ContentID=872

-------------------------=>

The field of law has, in many ways, been the poor relation in the world-wide effort to deliver a cleaner, healthier and ultimately fairer world.

We have over 500 international and regional agreements, treaties and deals covering everything from the protection of the ozone layer to the conservation of the oceans and seas. Almost all, if not all, countries have national environmental laws too. But unless these are complied with, unless they are enforced, then they are little more than symbols, tokens, paper tigers.

This is an issue affecting billions of people who are effectively being denied their rights and one of not only national but regional and global concern.

We are increasingly aware that what happens in one part of the world can affect (sic) in another part of the globe – be it toxic pollutants from Asia, Europe and North America contaminating the Arctic or the greenhouse gases of the industrialised regions triggering droughts or the melting of glaciers in the less industrialised ones.

posted 07-23-2003 01:01 AM            

Heat and dust as fires and drought wreak havoc in Europe

PARIS (AFP) - Firefighters battled to contain scorching forest fires raging in many parts of Europe sparked by the exceptional heat, a crippling drought and suspected arsonists.

Flames rushing through tinder-dry woods and forests, sometimes with alarming speed and ferocity, threatened historic sites and beauty spots in a wide arc from Portugal to Croatia.

In the popular Mediterranean holiday island of Corsica, a massive fire continued to burn out of control just 20 kilometres (some 15 miles) north of the capital Ajaccio having already destroyed over 2,000 hectares (4,600 acres) of virtually inaccessible forest.

On the mainland near the southern mountain town of Digne-les-Bains over 200 firefighters managed to bring a forest blaze under control, but not before it had blasted through 140 hectares (320 acres) of woodland.

Thick palls of smoke also hung over parts of Italy with the authorities responding to over 30 emergency calls with their specialised water-dropping aircraft.

Prayers for rain were again held in churches across the northern part of the country over the weekend as farmers faced ruin because of the drought which threatens their crops.

There was anguish across the Alps in Slovenia, too, with official estimates that the damage caused by the lack of rain there could amount to about 70 million euros (80 million dollars).

In Croatia, forest fires continued to burn near the historic coastal city of Dubrovnik, classified as a UN World Heritage Site. Officials said there had been no casualties and the country's Adriatic Sea resorts were not threatened.

Local newspapers said the fire was the worst in 15 years, and police said a man from the city had been arrested on suspicion of arson.

Spain and Portugal were not spared.

Five fires swept through regions close to the Spanish capital Madrid and at one stage 1,500 homes had to be evacuated ahead of the advancing flames.

In central Portugal a blaze threatened on Monday to destroy one of the biggest areas of maritime pine trees in Europe. Police there say they think that fire may also have been started deliberately.

Some German farmers could lose up to 80 percent of their crops this year, if the mercury does not tumble soon and rain starts to fall, the head of the German agriculture association said.

Farmers are most severely affected in the eastern regions of Saxony and Brandenburg, with more than 225 million euros (200 million dollars) in damage.

The hot summer has presented problems of a different kind in many central European countries, with falling water levels threatening electricity production and causing havoc on the waterways -- a year after devastating floods hit the region.

Along the length of the Danube, Europe's second longest river and a major European trade artery, dozens of barges and other vessels were being held up because the water was not deep enough for them to navigate.

"The water levels are extremely low on all of the Hungarian rivers," said Istvan Kranicz of the Hungarian National Water Authority, and there was a similar story in Austria, Bulgaria and Slovakia.

The port manager in the Austrian capital Vienna said all river traffic on the Danube between Vienna and the Slovakian border had been halted completely.

Water levels were also affecting electricity production in Austria, with companies forced to cut production at some of the conventional water-cooled plants by one third despite demand being at its peak.

Ironically, violent storms broke out in the west of the country but could not bring much relief as the battering winds that accompanied simply added to the misery, ripping out trees and electricity pylons.

The heatwave has even crept as far north as Sweden, not normally known for its scorching summers, where a number of small forest fires broke out.

Unfortunately for Swedes, there is not even shelter from the heat in the sea: the authorities have warned people against swimming off the country's southeastern coast following a surge in toxic algae in the Baltic Sea brought on by the sultry summer weather.

In Finland, 17 people seeking relief in the water have died from drowning in the last week alone, a country where drowning is second only to car crashes as a cause of accidental death.

posted 07-23-2003 10:38 AM            

By the way, did you see this from Michael Ruppert:

"JULY 21, 2003 - The second city in FTW's "Pay No Attention to That Man Behind the Curtain" 12-city ad campaign ran in the Arizona Republic today (July 21). According to the phone calls received by the newspaper, the ad has caused a tremendous stir. The fierce reaction has been no surprise to the FTW team, given that Arizona has long been a hotbed of conservatism, and the Republican Party stronghold of John McCain and the late Barry Goldwater. The ad will run in other major newspapers in the coming weeks."

posted 07-23-2003 01:37 PM            

I'm not surprised re: vocal opposition to the July 21 FTW ad in the Republic. There is a lot of right-wing money and power in this state.

Other than maintaining continuous awareness of it as a Fact Of Life No Kidding I don't get too involved in the political. It's enough [for me anyway] to have a basic sense of who's who and for what they stand. The real challenge in my opinion is to avoid allowing the political to manipulate you. It all comes down to use/abuse of power and resources in the end.

posted 07-27-2003 01:28 AM            

Here is another resource for your consideration:

Planetary Engineering Bibliography
(Revised November 1995)

Martyn J. Fogg (Probability Research Group, UK).
Tom Meyer (University of Colorado),
Stephen Gillett (MacKay School of Mines, Nevada),
Robert Haynes (York University, Ontario).
http://spot.colorado.edu/%7Emarscase/cfm/terrabib.html

Selected titles:

-- Dyson, Freeman, "Can We Control the Carbon Dioxide in the Atmosphere?" Energy, 2, 287-291, 1977.

-- Early, James T., "Space-based Solar Shield to Offset Greenhouse Effect", Journal of the British Interplanetary Society, 42, 567-569, 1989.

-- Ehricke, Krafft A., "Contributions of Space Reflector Technology to Food Production, Local Weather Manipulation and Energy Supply, 1985-2020", Journal of the British Interplanetary Society, 34, 511-518, 1981.

-- Marchetti, Cesare, "On Geoengineering and the CO2 Problem," Climatic Change, 1, 59-68, 1977.

-- Mautner, Michael and Parks, Kelly, "Space-based Control of the Climate", in Engineering, Construction and Operations in Space II: Volume 2, Proceedings of Space '90, American Society of Civil Engineers, 1990.

-- Penner, S.S., Schneider, A.M. and Kennedy E.M., "Active Measures for Reducing the Global Climatic Impacts of Escalating CO2 Concentrations," Acta Astronautica, 11, 345-348, 1984.

-- Seifritz, Walter, "Mirrors to Halt Global Warming?" Nature, 340, 603, 1989.

posted 08-05-2003 11:56 PM            

Dr. Katsaros and I had agreed to consult before issuing public statements, but it is vacation time and we are not in the same place.

It's obviously necessary to get him better integrated into our network.

posted 08-10-2003 03:18 AM            

I'll translate it as soon as I can get hold of a copy of it.