Climate security

We need laws on geoengineering, ASAP

Humans have been accidentally altering the planet's climate for thousands of years. Soon, it may be possible alter it intentionally.

The deliberate, large-scale manipulation of climate is called geoengineering. The term encompasses a variety of proposals, from pulling carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere to reflecting sunlight back into space in an attempt to slow the earth's warming. Global geoengineering tactics haven't yet been deployed, but as climate change starts to spin out of control, support for some forms of geoengineering seems to be growing.

However, there's a lot that can go wrong when it comes to modifying the complex global climate system, and the world is not prepared for the problems that might result. A new book coming out April 21 points out the major holes in national and international geoengineering regulation, and lays out a framework for improvement. The book, titled Climate Engineering and the Law, was co-edited by Michael Gerrard from Columbia's Sabin Center for Climate Change Law and Tracy Hester, a graduate of Columbia Law School who now teaches at the University of Houston Law Center. Gerrard is also chair of the faculty of the Earth Institute.