White House Mulls Drastic Action on Climate Change

Geo-engineering could be last resort, Holdren says

By Nick McMaster, Newser Staff

Posted Apr 8, 2009 2:27 PM CDT

(Newser) – Global warming may get to the point where drastic "geo-engineering" measures to cool the earth will be necessary, President Obama’s top science adviser tells the AP. John Holdren said shooting reflective particles into the upper atmosphere to reflect some sunlight is a last resort, but one he's raised with other administration officials. "We don't have the luxury of taking any approach off the table," said Holdren.

There are several possible signs that would show global warming to be reaching a “tipping point” which would necessitate drastic measures, Holdren said. One indicator would be the disappearance of all summertime Arctic sea ice. But it’s difficult to tell how close the earth is to such watersheds, said Holdren, who likened global warming to being “"in a car with bad brakes driving toward a cliff in the fog."

A member of a group of a group of visiting environment ministers and other representatives from more than a dozen nations gazes up at the monumental rock towers rising from 1,500-foot-deep ice sheets... (AP Photo/Charles J. Hanley)

In this 2003 file photo provided by Subhankar Banerjee a polar bear walks in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. (AP Photo/Subhankar Banerjee, File)

John Holdren talks about his role as President Obama's science adviser during an interview with The Associated Press, in Washington, Wednesday, April 8, 2009. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

The cooling towers of Three Mile Island's Unit 1 Nuclear Power Plant pour steam into the sky in Middletown, Pa., Tuesday, March 17, 2009. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

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COMMENTS

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Showing 3 of 14 comments

riffran

Apr 10, 2009 11:32 AM CDT

no problem...you are very welcome

freethemall

Apr 10, 2009 3:48 AM CDT

Thank you for your response, riffran. Interesting!

riffran

Apr 10, 2009 2:34 AM CDT

sure...One of the possible solutions , was to delberately inject a sulpher based pollutant similar to volcano output, into the air...It has been documented that major volcanic eruptions have lowered global temp on a temporary scale, for a while after the eruption. And as for the population growth......I feel you are absolutley correct in your conclusion about population growth also, I was merely pointing out the other fact that seemed to be ingnored...sorry I wasn't as clear as I should have been....:)

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White House Mulls Drastic Action on Climate Change

Geo-engineering could be last resort, Holdren says

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climate change • Barack Obama • global warming • Arctic sea ice • Obama administration • geo-engineering • President Obama • John Holdren

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White House Mulls Drastic Action on Climate Change

Geo-engineering could be last resort, Holdren says

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climate change • Barack Obama • global warming • Arctic sea ice • Obama administration • geo-engineering • President Obama • John Holdren

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Detroit Bust Would've Been Better Than Bailout

Ex-Prez Bush says bailout his idea, and a good one

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Budget would institute 'Buffett Rule,' boost infrastructure

White House to Budge on Birth-Control Mandate

'Accommodation' for religious employers will likely be announced today

Small Donors Gave 48% of Obama's 2011 Donations

That's more than double the proportion from 2007: analysis

No Child Left Behind Waiver Granted to 10 States

At least 28 more plan to seek one

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