Reply #4: The argument is that we are already in the midst of...

[TheMadMonk]

...an uncontrolled global experiment. And the results coming in are not at all pretty.

I do not think there is any going back. Not any time soon anyway.

And there are opportunities to perform relatively localised geo-engineering experiments.

One would be to deepen Lake Eyre in South Australia by a considerable amount and use what is dug up to create a small mountain range to catch moisture laden air and make it "dump". To get that moisture laden air, dig a canal from the Great Australian Bight to the lake and let seawater flow into the lake. (it's salt anyways so nothing new there)

It would also open up opportunities to experiment with aquaculture/fish farming on a massive scale, potentially easing the burden on natural fish stocks to a level that is fully sustainable.

If it looks like proving out, the same could be done with other sub sea level basins which are within reach of the oceans. Where a basin already contains water (the Dead Sea) the digging would take place above the existing waterline. The mountains to force the precipitation of evaporated moisture from the "new" seas are something of a necessity, as they would let us direct rainfall.


Another is orbital power satellites using microwaves to beam power down to Earth. This one's a Twofer: 1. Power to the grid to retire fossil fuel power stations; And 2: Steerable microwave beams which could be used to judiciously heat parts of the ocean surface in order to steer extreme weather events away from populated or vulnerable areas; Using the same microwave beams, moisture could be evaporated from the oceans to create clouds which would both increase albedo, thereby reflecting sunlight and reducing warming and directed by prevailing winds could then be moved over agricultural regions to precipitate out; Can be used on storm systems to keep them "warm" and prevent or mitigate excessive precipitation, or hail; Or to draw moisture up high to chill it and create snow.

The direct weather manipulation possibilities are mind boggling. Start small and start careful, or in extremis. But as we learn, we can become more adventurous and precise. It would have to be a truly global effort with the developed nations (arguably including China and India) having very little direct control of facilities, as the potential for ill use are as bad as the beneficial uses are good.