Corner and Pidgeon (2010)
1. What is geoengineering?
Geoengineering is the intentional manipulation of the earth’s climate to counteract anthropogenic
climate change or its warming effects.
2. What is the difference between CDR and SRM geoengineering schemes? Give examples for
each type of scheme. What is the basic problem of CDR as compared to SRM approaches?
CDR is carbon dioxide removal and SRM is solar radiation management. The difference between CDR
and SRM is that CDR focusses on capturing CO2 and thus solves part of the problem caused by
anthropogenic GHG emissions, while SRM focusses on reflecting sunlight and thereby cooling down
the earth. The main difference is thus that SRM, while stopping the increasing temperature on earth,
does not solve the problems of climate change.
An example of CDR is fertilizing the ocean so that algeae in the ocean will take in more carbon. An
example of SRM is making tiny mirror orbit the earth, reflecting sunlight.
The basic problem of CDR is that while it focusses on CO2, there are other more important GHGs to
take into account when thinking about climate change. Also CDR takes a lot of space and there are
unknown risks related to CDR.
3. Please briefly explain the following: chemical air capture and carbon sequestration, ocean
fertilization, biomass/ biochar, enhanced weathering, afforestation, space-based
reflectors, stratospheric aerosol injection, enhanced cloud albedo, enhanced surface
albedo
chemical air capture and carbon sequestration = proposals to imitate threes’ sequestration of carbon
dioxide from the atmosphere by using giant chemical vents to “scrub” the atmosphere
ocean fertilization = fertilization of the ocean by iron to stimulate algal blooms
biomass/biochar = the mass harvesting and sequestration of biomass as a climate intervention, to
then be used as biofuel
enhanced weathering = adding silicate materials to the soil to enhance the weathering process
which naturally sequesters CO2
afforestation = using forests as carbon sinks
space-based reflectors = placement of a fleet of artificial sunshades in orbit around the earth to
deflect solar radiation
stratospheric aerosol injection = sulphate particles blasted into the stratosphere to deflect sunlight
enhanced cloud albedo = the whitening of oceanic clouds by spraying salt-rich sea water into the sky
(also called “cloud seeding”)
enhanced surface albedo = painting human settlements white to reflect sunlight
1
1. What is geoengineering?
Geoengineering is the intentional manipulation of the earth’s climate to counteract anthropogenic
climate change or its warming effects.
2. What is the difference between CDR and SRM geoengineering schemes? Give examples for
each type of scheme. What is the basic problem of CDR as compared to SRM approaches?
CDR is carbon dioxide removal and SRM is solar radiation management. The difference between CDR
and SRM is that CDR focusses on capturing CO2 and thus solves part of the problem caused by
anthropogenic GHG emissions, while SRM focusses on reflecting sunlight and thereby cooling down
the earth. The main difference is thus that SRM, while stopping the increasing temperature on earth,
does not solve the problems of climate change.
An example of CDR is fertilizing the ocean so that algeae in the ocean will take in more carbon. An
example of SRM is making tiny mirror orbit the earth, reflecting sunlight.
The basic problem of CDR is that while it focusses on CO2, there are other more important GHGs to
take into account when thinking about climate change. Also CDR takes a lot of space and there are
unknown risks related to CDR.
3. Please briefly explain the following: chemical air capture and carbon sequestration, ocean
fertilization, biomass/ biochar, enhanced weathering, afforestation, space-based
reflectors, stratospheric aerosol injection, enhanced cloud albedo, enhanced surface
albedo
chemical air capture and carbon sequestration = proposals to imitate threes’ sequestration of carbon
dioxide from the atmosphere by using giant chemical vents to “scrub” the atmosphere
ocean fertilization = fertilization of the ocean by iron to stimulate algal blooms
biomass/biochar = the mass harvesting and sequestration of biomass as a climate intervention, to
then be used as biofuel
enhanced weathering = adding silicate materials to the soil to enhance the weathering process
which naturally sequesters CO2
afforestation = using forests as carbon sinks
space-based reflectors = placement of a fleet of artificial sunshades in orbit around the earth to
deflect solar radiation
stratospheric aerosol injection = sulphate particles blasted into the stratosphere to deflect sunlight
enhanced cloud albedo = the whitening of oceanic clouds by spraying salt-rich sea water into the sky
(also called “cloud seeding”)
enhanced surface albedo = painting human settlements white to reflect sunlight
1
