One of the things I’ve found most interesting, or perhaps most disturbing, about the essential conclusions discussed in the Introduction, is that the information was, is, and has been available for quite some time now. Like the classic days of old, where important stories might wind up buried on Page 23 of an evening newspaper, the information is available, but you have to go looking for it.
For those who have dug a bit deeper into the climate debate, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (the IPCC) is generally regarded as one of, if not the, go-to source on summarizing the current state of climate science. It’s primary weakness is one of the weaknesses, and indeed greatest strengths, of established science itself, namely the peer-review process. This process is, by design, lengthy and cautious, and the IPCC layers on additional delay within its own internal review and publication processes.
Despite this, the most recent IPCC publication, Global Warming of 1.5° Special Report, in Chapter 3, beginning on page 268, presents Cross-Chapter Box 7 | Land-Based Carbon Dioxide Removal in Relation to 1.5°C of Global Warming. This side box provides a succinct discussion of the assumptions around the need for Carbon Dioxide Removal (CDR).
I certainly encourage anyone interested in the details to read the entire report, and indeed to tackle the entire Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) 2014, but I also certainly understand one might have more pressing things to do with one’s time.
The take away line from Cross-Chapter Box 7 is
Cost-effective strategies to limit peak or end-of-century warming to 1.5°C all include enhanced GHG removals…
– Intergovernmetal Panel on Climate Change
The report goes on to discuss the pros and cons of various CDR approaches. (GHG, for those who have not looked into this yet, is an acronym for Green House Gas – CO2, CH4, H20, and various other atmospheric gases which trap heat).
In formulating an Approach, I suggest going beyond the established views of CO2 Removal, based on the need to scale the response to the problem, and using a bit of creativity in suggesting the response. The Approach is based on this established need to remove massive amounts of CO2, a need which appears, at least at this point, to have been relegated to Page 23, but which is definitely there for those interested in looking.
Beyond the IPCC
From a recent article in Physics Today: Negative Carbon Dioxide Emissions.
Additional Sources to follow, of course.