Abstract

DELGADO RAMOS, Gian Carlo. Geoengineering, an uncertain response to face up climate change. Estud. soc [online]. 2012, vol.20, n.40, pp.213-236. ISSN 0188-4557.

Given the rapid increase in the concentration of greenhouse gases derived from a growing social metabolism (use of energy and materials), the implementation of diverse technologies, including those designed to manipulate and control the weather, has been proposed as a potential solution. This paper reviews the prevailing social metabolism and its projections for the coming decades. Subsequently, the problems and challenges of climate change, its implications and the technological solutions based on weather manipulation proposed from a political discourse that advocates for a "green economy" are discussed. By describing the geoengineering proposals, their complexity, feasibility, uncertainties and potential implications are then critically reviewed. Recognizing that the use of geoen-gineering is more an issue of economics and politics than a technical matter, it is concluded with an appeal to open the debate on different implications and desirability of the diverse geoengineering options, starting from the premise that the main measure towards climate change is the effective reduction of social metabolism and, therefore, of emissions.

Keywords : geoengineering; climate change; uncertainty; risk.

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