[geo] Tiresome nomenclature squabbles

[Andrew Lockley]

Hi Geo/CDR lists,

I say very little personally - but I feel it's time to confront a problem,
which has been building up for a while.

I'm noticing increasingly ill-tempered nomenclature egg-throwing in this
community. It's affecting my work - and it's probably harming other
people's work, too. I'm therefore cross-posting, in an attempt to get the
problem under control.

Most particularly, the eggs are being thrown by a few select CDR folk, who
refuse to cooperate with people/projects describing the field as
geoengineering (or related terms). Sorry if that's blunt, but them's the
facts. I'm declining to name names - but I have the receipts, if
anyone needs them.

Before addressing the core argument being (incorrectly) made, here's some
background on my scicomm work. This context is relevant, as the scicomm
reaches broadly across this field (2k twitter followers, 10k podcast
downloads, ~3k email readers).
I've always worked on SRM and CDR, in both academic publications and
scicomm.

As a matter of historical fact, the CDR list (which I don't moderate) was
spun out from the geoengineering Google group (which I do moderate), and as
a matter of convenience the residual list focussed on SRM. This was done to
manage comms in a practical way, not as some ideological schism. Plenty of
people cross both lists, and I've seen no reason to rebrand.

The other information services I operate (@geoengineering1 twitter,
Reviewer 2 Does Geoengineering podcast) use the same generic geoengineering
branding, and have done for a decade or more. This is partly as a matter of
historic consistency, and partly because the word is being used correctly -
as I'll explain below. I don't therefore feel that this wording choice is
any justification for people to attack me or my work.

How bad has it got? Well, I'm reliably informed that I've had my CV binned
for at least 1 job because I use the word "geoengineering" to describe the
field. I've recently had several people (without exception CDR types)
refuse to cooperate with my scicomm work - because I use the word
"geoengineering" as a convenient, dictionary-accurate, and
historically-relevant way to describe my work. That's denying their work an
audience, based on a squabble over historic branding. Coca-Cola doesn't
even have cocaine in anymore, but people don't argue with bar staff about
it. So why argue with me, when my work is much more accurately described?

People are free to use whatever words they like to describe what they do;
my beef isn't with the string of related terms for the same things
(geoengineering vs climate intervention; solar radiation modification vs
solar radiation management; carbon removal vs CDR vs GGR; etc.). The
problem I have is with the petty personal sniping and factionalism that's
increasingly creeping in to the discipline, as a result.

For the avoidance of doubt: I'm not rebranding everything I do just because
a few CDR fans won't play nicely with their SRM counterparts. And I'm not
going to jump into a silo, just because other people think I should.

Notwithstanding the objectionable pettiness of this behaviour, I don't
believe the core argument bears any real scrutiny. So let's get to that.

With a quick Google I have found both present and historical references to
the term "geoengineering" (relatedly climate engineering/intervention)
being used to encompass CDR.

Here's the OED
https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803095848469;jsessionid=8F01D3B289E2BB2911C69F51B5050E01#:~:text=Geoengineering%20is%20the%20intentional%20large,of%20reducing%20undesired%20climatic%20.
..

NASEM
https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/18805/climate-intervention-carbon-dioxide-removal-and-reliable-sequestration

Wikipedia
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_engineering

Royal Society
https://royalsociety.org/topics-policy/publications/2009/geoengineering-climate/

Futurelearn / Adam Smith
https://www.futurelearn.com/info/courses/climate-change-and-public-policy/0/steps/291219

...I could go on.

The issue here isn't the use of one word or another, it's the daftness of
people shunning opportunities/people because of the utilisation of a
standard (if not ubiquitous) term to describe the discipline.

So please, let's not have wars over words reminiscent of the kids' book
"Fatipuffs and Thinnifers"
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fattypuffs_and_Thinifers
...as even the kids reading that book knew it was stupid. We have all got
much more to lose than to gain from such silly squabbles. Just because we
might not like words that have been used for 15y or more doesn't mean it's
a valid excuse to shun people and opportunities.

Thanks for listening. And best wishes to all my geoengineering friends -
including both the SRM and CDR ones.

Andrew

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[geo] WEEKLY SUMMARY (23 JANUARY 2023 - 29 JANUARY 2023)

[Geoengineering News]

*WEEKLY SUMMARY (23 JANUARY 2023 - 29 JANUARY 2023)*


*CONTENTS OF SUMMARY*

· Deadlines

· Upcoming Events

· Scientific Papers

· Reports

· Webinar Slides

· Posts

· Podcasts

· YouTube Videos



*DEADLINES*


IUGG-IAMAS Symposium on Solar Radiation Modification-Abstract Submission
Required |Due Date: 14 February 2023

https://www.iugg2023berlin.org/


Paper Invitation with Discount: [Atmosphere, IF 3.110] Special Issue
“Aerosol Cloud Radiation Interactions | Due Date: 28 February 2023

https://www.mdpi.com/journal/atmosphere/special_issues/651Y057413



*UPCOMING EVENTS*


(NEW) International Panel on the Science, Policy, and Politics of Climate
Geoengineering by Brandeis Office of Sustainability & Environmental Studies
| 31 January 2023

https://www.brandeis.edu/environmental/news-events/2023-international-panel-on-climate-geoengineering.html


Ethics and Solar Geoengineering: Justice, Legitimacy, and Governance in a
Climate Crisis by Harvard Kennedy School | 2-3 February 2023

https://www.hks.harvard.edu/events/ethics-and-solar-geoengineering-justice-legitimacy-and-governance-climate-crisis


The 21st International Conference on Nucleation & Atmospheric Aerosols by QUT
School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences and Centre for the Environment | 26-30
June 2023

https://www.icnaa2023.com.au/


*GRC Climate Engineering 2024 |* February 17-18, 2024
https://www.grc.org/find-a-conference/



*SCIENTIFIC PAPERS*


Northern-high-latitude permafrost and terrestrial carbon response to two
solar geoengineering scenarios

https://esd.copernicus.org/articles/14/55/2023/


Environmental Impact Modeling for a Small-Scale Field Test of Methane
Removal by Iron Salt Aerosols

https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/21/14060


Large variations in afforestation-related climate cooling and warming
effects across short distances

https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-023-00678-9


Microphysical, macrophysical, and radiative responses of subtropical marine
clouds to aerosol injections

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/367410630_Microphysical_macrophysical_and_radiative_responses_of_subtropical_marine_clouds_to_aerosol_injections



*REPORTS*


Solar-Reflective “Cool” Walls: Benefits, Technologies, and Implementation

https://escholarship.org/uc/item/5w9995b4



*WEBINAR SLIDES*


2023-01 Geoengineering Modeling Research Consortium webinar.pdf

https://www.dropbox.com/s/ftru3x7lb20khe1/2023-01%20GMRC%20webinar.pdf




*POSTS*


The rationalist-optimist and pessimist-radical takes on climate intervention

https://peteirvine.substack.com/p/the-rationalist-optimist-and-pessimist



*PODCASTS*


*SRM & justice for the global poor - Hourdequin by Reviewer 2 does
geoengineering*

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/srm-justice-for-the-global-poor-hourdequin/id1529459393


Marion Hourdequin explains her paper, which criticised Horton & Keith's
justifications for SRM research. Considering various types of justice, she
explains why tech-bro solutions often meet such fierce resistance. Paper:
Climate Change, Climate Engineering, and the ‘Global Poor’: What Does
Justice Require? (https://doi.org/10.1080/21550085.2018.1562525)


*How to argue about SRM - Clark by Reviewer 2 does geoengineering*

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-argue-about-srm-clark/id1529459393


Britta Clark schools @geoengineering1 on "How to argue about solar
geoengineering". This will only encourage him, and generally make him even
more insufferable in future (
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10./japp.12643).


*Can YOU stop SRM? Viviani & Galpern by Reviewer 2 does geoengineering *

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/can-you-stop-srm-viviani-galpern/id1529459393


Donn Viviani & Dan Galpern look at how individual petitioners could put an
end to US firms' deployment of SRM. Background info provided by guests:
Current petition and lawsuit available at cprclimate.org


*IMPORTANT! Pioneers or pirates? Make Sunsets' sell & launch SAI by
Reviewer 2 does geoengineering*

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/important-pioneers-or-pirates-make-sunsets-sell-launch-sai/id1529459393


Luke Iseman and Andrew Song from "Make Sunsets" explain why they've
launched SAI balloons and sold cooling credits to customers.



*YOUTUBE VIDEOS*


*There's a playlist with more videos on the topic, you can check it out
here: *

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLF8369A27273314D8

[geo] 2023 SRM conferences and/or workshops

[Chris Guillot]

Dear SRM Community,

Is there, within this group or elsewhere, an agenda which includes most of 
the meetings and other conferences on the SRM? This would be very useful, 
especially to be able to participate or see the topics covered.

Thank you for your feedback if such a list exists.

Best regards,
Chris

chris.guil...@unil.ch 

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