Pasadena, CA
“Plan B: Engineering a Cooler Earth”
A symposium hosted by The Linde Center for Global Environmental Science, the Resnick Sustainability Institute, and the Keck Institute for Space Studies.
Hameetman Auditorium – California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125
Since the middle of the 20th century, the surface temperature of the earth has increased by 1.5 degrees Fahrenheit (0.8 degrees Celsius) as a result of the rapid increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide concentrations have increased by 25 percent, while methane levels have almost doubled. Without a rapid switch over to low-carbon energy sources, predictions for future warming are dire. In the face of this challenge, several options have emerged for engineering a cooler climate. This one-day symposium will explore some of these options – their technical and economic feasibility as well as their risks.
At this one day event, experts in carbon dioxide removal and sequestration, and global brightening to reflect more of the sun’s rays, a process known as albedo management, will describe the state of the science, as well as discuss issues of ethics, governance, and communication.
This symposium is made possible by a generous grant from Charles T. Munger.