Geoengineering Basics
Q: What term refers to large-scale technological attempts to deliberately change Earth’s climate system?
A: What is - Geoengineering.
Q: What geoengineering method involves spraying sulfur dioxide into the stratosphere to reflect sunlight?
A: What is - Solar Radiation Management.
Q: What volcano eruption inspired the idea behind Solar Radiation Management?
A: What is - Mount Pinatubo.
Q: What major problem would continue even if geoengineering cooled the planet temporarily?
A: What is - Ocean acidification.
Q: What country hosted the geoengineering conference discussed in the chapter?
A: What is - England.
Q: What is the main goal of most geoengineering proposals discussed in the chapter?
A: What is - to reduce global temperatures.
Q: What proposed method involves fertilizing oceans with iron to increase plankton growth and absorb carbon dioxide?
A: What is - Ocean fertilization.
Q: In what year did Mount Pinatubo erupt?
A: What is - 1991.
Q: What major environmental systems might be disrupted if sunlight is blocked artificially?
A: What is - Weather patterns and ecosystems.
Q: What major issue arises when deciding who controls geoengineering technology?
A: What is - Authority and governance.
Q: What strategy focuses on reflecting sunlight away from Earth to cool the planet?
A: What is - Solar Radiation Management (SRM).
Q: What geoengineering idea involves making clouds brighter by spraying seawater into the air?
A: What is - Cloud brightening.
Q: What gas released during the eruption helped cool the planet?
A: What is - Sulfur dioxide.
Q: What is the name of the problem where temperatures rise extremely quickly if geoengineering suddenly stops?
A: What is - The termination problem.
Q: Which regions could suffer from disrupted monsoon rainfall due to geoengineering?
A: What is - Africa and South Asia.
Q: Why have scientists started discussing geoengineering more seriously in recent years?
A: What is - because efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions have not progressed fast enough.
Q: What proposal suggests covering deserts with reflective materials to bounce sunlight back into space?
A: What is - Increasing Earth’s reflectivity using reflective surfaces.
Q: How much did global temperatures drop after the eruption?
A: What is - About 0.5 degrees Celsius.
Q: Why could humanity become dependent on geoengineering once it starts?
A: What is - Because stopping it would cause rapid warming.
Q: Why do critics worry poorer nations could suffer more from geoengineering?
A: What is - Because they could experience unintended environmental consequences.
Q: Why is geoengineering often described as a “backup plan” for climate change?
A: What is - because it could temporarily reduce temperatures if emissions reductions fail.
Q: What type of technology would directly remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere using machines?
A: What is - Carbon capture or carbon removal machines.
Q: Why did scientists believe the Pinatubo eruption could inspire geoengineering ideas?
A: What is - Because the sulfur particles reflected sunlight and temporarily cooled the planet.
Q: Why do some scientists worry geoengineering could harm certain regions more than others?
A: What is - Because it could disrupt rainfall and monsoon systems.
Q: What is Naomi Klein’s main argument about geoengineering?
A: What is - That geoengineering reflects a dangerous belief that technology can solve problems created by technology. She suggests that relying on geoengineering could distract from the urgent need to reduce fossil fuel emissions. Ultimately, she argues that addressing climate change requires reducing fossil fuel use rather than attempting to engineer the climate.