Must be IPCC week. When it rains the stupid, it pours. From the Telegraph:
IPCC ‘considering sending mirrors to space to tackle climate change’
Reflective aerosols would be sent into space under a series of radical “geo-engineering” measures being considered by the UN climate science body to tackle climate change, leaked documents disclose.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) papers, leaked ahead of a key meeting in Peru next week, outline the series of techniques in which scientists hope will manipulate the world’s climate to reduce carbon emissions.
Among the ideas proposed by a group of 60 leading scientists from around the world, including Britain, include producing “lighter coloured” crops to reflect sunlight, blasting aerosol “mirrors” into the stratosphere and suppressing cirrus clouds.
Other suggestions include spraying sea water into clouds as another reflection mechanism, depositing massive quantities of iron filings into the oceans, painting streets and roofs white and adding lime to oceans.
Experts suggested that the documents, leaked from inside the IPPC to The Guardian, show how the UN and other developed countries are “despairing” about reaching agreement by consensus at the global climate change talks.
But the newspaper reported that scientists admit that even if the ideas theoretically work, they could cause irreversible consequences.
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Just an FYI, the documents in full are publicly available at SCRIBD here:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/57920959/Joint-IPCC-expert-meeting-on-geoengineering-keynote-abstracts
The key buzzphrase is – “solar radiation management”, but there’s a catch they mention:
That, and the fact that it’s batshit crazy and a powder-keg for priming a global explosion of the law of unintended consequences.
Even Joe Romm doesn’t like the idea because of this catch, and when Romm starts rejecting crazy climate ideas, you know it’s bad. I’ll bet Greenpeace has made a recommendation for it though.
h/t to WUWT reader AndiC
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Didn’t the Russians want to do the thing with the orbiting mirrors about 10 or so years ago to make their winters WARMER??
I have a better idea.
Simply send the IPCC, Greenpeace, the UEA CRU et al into space.
Problem solved.
I’ve got a little list, and geo-engineers have places of honour on it.
I’d suggest launching AGW scientists with the highest albedo into orbit about the Earth. This would become the new “bozone layer.”
I suppose this is the ultimate test of faith of the pro-AGW crew. If they really believe we are all going to cook, if they believe their GCMs are giving accurate predictions, then they must believe the aerosol shield is a good idea. If nagging at the back of their mind is the worry that we might be plunged into a new ice age in consequence, then there’s hope.
Now just a cotton-picking minute there! On the one hand CAGW acolytes are screaming loud and long that a quiescent Sun – reducing the amount of energy that the earth receives- will make little or no difference to global warming. On the other, they are postulating that very expensive sunshades will mitigate global warming by reducing the amount of energy the Earth receives. Is there a logical dichotomy in these statements or am I missing something?
BTW. Not keen on this new-fanggled lay-out. Pre-set font is far too small and using built-in correctors is a buggeration factor I could do without.
Most of these schemes if carried out will be REAL POLLUTION due to human activity .
The last time I ever saw some suggestion of sticking some huge disk in space was when it was a solar cell array that converted the energy to microwaves, and the system sent that power to earth….. hay no worries the microwave energy had a low energy density as to not cook aircraft passengers. Back then, make power, now screw power, unless it’s wind pork.
They could just build an alter and slaughter a few goats. It would be much cheaper.
Bassetedge, a commenter in the Guardian said:-
“Are they going to send them up in wind-powered rocket ships?
Loonies.”
Must qualify for Quote Of The Week!
Well this story has some interesting turns of phrase.
The fact is all of these ideas have been floated before so they are definitely not secrets. Therefore the word “leak” seems to be misleading. Seems like some shabby newspaper reporting.
The whole debate about geoengineering has been on a while so I can’t understand how the WUWT readership missed it. And contrary to what Anthony suggests I believe greenpeace are in the anti camp. Looks like the greenies and Anthony agree on something.
I also don’t think it’s accurate to say the IPCC is “considering” geoengineering. That implies it is able to institute action and to perform geoengineering. It can’t do that. There is likely no framework for geoengineering to be done at all. The IPCC’s role is simply to collate information so it’s hosting a meeting. That’s all.
The geoengineering stuff is only going to get off the ground if and when mother nature starts beating the human race around the head in a serious way. So stop panicking, it’s just scifi at this point in time.
And special guest of honour is…………BUCK RODGERS !
Grumpy Old Man UK – re CAGW acolytes and a quiescent Sun :- It’s very simple. If the sun does it, it has no effect on climate. If man does it, then it does. It doesn’t matter what “it” is, or, for that matter, what “the sun” is.
But all these extravagant geoengineering schemes are a complete waste of money and effort. There is an existing cheap, simple and effective method: Move each weather station a bit further uphill every year or so. Bingo! Problem solved. The moves can even be virtual, reducing the cost to almost zero.
Frankly these people have transitioned from cranks, to economic Luddites, to downright dangerous.
The official line already being peddled by the BBC is that a quiescent sun may just give us a brief respite in which to solve the CO2 problem before things get out of control.
jorgekafkazar says:
June 17, 2011 at 12:12 am
I’d suggest launching AGW scientists with the highest albedo into orbit about the Earth. This would become the new “bozone layer.”
I nearly had to be re-engineered to be able to get back on my chair after falling off laughing!
Does one need any further proof that the lunatics have truly taken over the asylum?
And how many Billions are we going to blow on this “pie in the sky” ??
Mike Jonas — ha ha! Love it!
Some brilliant comments here. me has pointed to the assured response to a quiet sun by the AGW crowd. They will fail to see the connection between active sun and warming but cooling and spotless sun; thats a given.
Are you sure the geos are not writing a script for James Cameron’s next “Avatar”?
If, just for the sake of argument, global T rose by 2C (in the winter, in northern latitudes, at night) would there be less CO2 emitted by the evil humans as a result of them turning their heating down?
Also “manipulate the world’s climate to reduce carbon emissions” ???? Seriously?
So, the eco-stalinist loonies hate mankind because humans are destroying the planet (allegedly), so they propose placing all sorts of pollutants into the atmosphere & oceans to compensate for it. Barking mad, barking mad. I only support the idea of geo-engineering after a brief chat with Dr Richard S. Courtney, a while ago, as it gives the politicians a way out of the pit they have dug themselves into.
Sun – 99.9% of mass of Solar system, Earth – 3 x 10^-6 of that mass. Tell me again how a 1/10th of 1% change in TSI of something so massive cannot affect the earths atmosphere? One enters ones home in the evening & it is cold. One turns the central heating on (what a luxury), but you are still cold. Half an hour later, you aren’t quite as cold but still not toasty! An hour later the “atmosphere” of the house is at 20°C & one is toasty! Such things are not instantaneous! If the boiler breaks down, you don’t freeze immediately, the heat (regardless of specific insulation) takes time to equalize with the external temperature. It’s the same with Solar output & our atmosphere/climate. Call me Mr Picky, but someone is fiddling the books somewhere down the line! The thing is, Solar variability doesn’t require a Marxist Socialist Intellectual Elitist Global Government run by self-enriching sanctimonious self-righteous hypocrits, shame!
How about compulsory tin foil hats for outdoor wear?
‘There could be irreversible consequences’.
Could change to Will.
This sounds like a bunch of juvenile school boys trying to out think the stupidest plan to bring doom to the planet.
Stop the grants of these people to bring them to their senses.