Just noticed the use of "MAG approach"... Mitigation, Adaptation, Geoengineering. Is this a first use? Haven't seen it before Interesting...
D On Nov 16, 11:19 am, Dan Whaley <[email protected]> wrote: > http://www.tcetoday.com/tcetoday/NewsDetail.aspx?nid=12286 > > 16/11/2009 > > IMechE urges gov to look beyond mitigation > > UK will fail goal without all engineering solutions > > by Adam Duckett > > Bookmark and Share > > THE UK’s Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) says that the > government will fail its own climate goals if it continues to focus > solely on carbon mitigation. > > In its Mitigation, adaptation and geo-engineering report, IMechE says > the UK has reduced carbon output per unit of GDP by 1.3%/y between > 2001–2006. But a consistent 5%/y decrease is necessary to achieve the > 80% by 2050 reduction that the government bound up in law in its > Climate Change Act of 2008. > > Achieving this “magnitudinous challenge” using just mitigation > requires the UK to switch on around 30 new nuclear power stations in > the next five years, while retiring an equal amount of coal-fired > generation. Considering nuclear, this is practically impossible due to > drawn-out planning and approval processes and long lead times required > to manufacture major components such as reactor vessels, not to > mention the slow process of safely constructing a plant. > > In a report that reads less diplomatically than is the norm for > learned institutions, IMechE says: “the question has to be, are the > policies being adopted simply a cop-out so that the UK does not have > to take decisive and serious actions, many of which may be unpalatable > to politicians and the general public?” If so, it says, the mitigation > battle is already lost and the government’s 80% reduction will be > delayed until at least 2100. > > It says the government must think like it is “at war” and stop relying > on mitigation and use all engineering methods possible. It suggests > what it calls the MAG approach – mitigation, adaptation and geo- > engineering. Under this plan, mitigation policy would continue as is, > but would be bolstered by an adaptation strategy to protect critical > assets from “inevitable climate change impacts”. Furthermore, it would > fund the development of geo-engineering projects to alter the > atmosphere and environment. > > It says all government responsible for these three areas should be > merged into one super department called the Department of Energy and > Climate Security. This would have sole responsibility, and the > necessary powers, to direct funding, planning, development, > commissioning and implementation of the MAG strategy, having priority > above nearly all other departments. > > It would ensure the continuing mitigation of emissions from power > generation, transport, and the built environment, which it concedes is > the cornerstone of any successful climate policy. Critical assets > including power stations, transport links and population centres would > be protected from flooding and overheating and it says in extreme > cases the government would have to make some tough choices and plan > the abandonment of settlements and infrastructure. Finally, geo- > engineering technology, including fake trees that will remove CO2 from > the atmosphere and solar sunshades that will reflect heat back in to > space, will be developed and deployed until CO2 and temperature is > reduced to safe levels and maybe even beyond to reduce historic CO2. > > The strategy would offer a roadmap for other nations, IMechE says, and > would generate 2m so-called green collar jobs in the UK by 2050. This > would guarantee many organisations decades of work reducing emissions > and protecting the UK, it concludes. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "geoengineering" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/geoengineering?hl=.
