気候温暖化への緊急対策

Man-made global cooling is scary, but may become necessary.

A scientific assessment of possible methods of directly cooling climate — from painting roofs to plastic on ice to mirrors in space. It reviews the science with evidence supporting reflecting sunlight from the atmosphere as the most promising approach.

As with all books by the esteemed science author and Economist editor, a marvelously well-written, captivating tour of the issues, deeply grounded in science and history. He makes a compelling case for technological interventions in climate.

A healthy planet that supports humans requires sophisticated technologies, used wisely, to provide the scale of capabilities they need while preserving the natural systems they rely on. Thought-provoking ideas outside the environmental canon, from the prophetic environmentalist and futurist who helped change the way we see the planet and our future on it.

Seen from the perspective of an astrobiologist on another planet, the intelligent life on Earth has been altering the planet's geology. But they are accidentally trashing the place, and their intelligence may need to be applied to ensure it can support humans into the future. A profound and entertainingly written gem.

Powerful individuals and technological innovation may not be able to solve the climate problem on their own, but they play a pivotal and hopeful role, wonderfully illustrated here. Or, as Esquire says, "A futurist ray of hope amid the usual denial and despair."

Read my written testimony for the House Science, Space and Technology Committee, Subcommittee on Environment and Subcommittee on Energy Hearing — Geoengineering: Innovation, Research, and Technology, from November 8, 2017.

Public debate often places climate risks in the context of "this century" or "by 2100." But scientists are increasingly highlighting the risks of devastating and irreversible impacts in just 20 or 30 years. This is within our lifetimes, and certainly within our children's.