https://arxiv.org/ftp/arxiv/papers/1507/1507.05495.pdfShould we geoengineer larger ice caps?
Jacob Haqq-Misra
Blue Marble Space Institute of Science
1200 Westlake Ave N Suite 1006, Seattle, Washington 98109, United States
Email:
[email protected]Forthcoming in Futures, doi:10.1016/j.futures.2015.07.002. This version 20 July 2015.
Abstract
The climate of Earth is susceptible to catastrophes that could threaten the longevity of
human civilization. Geoengineering to reduce incoming solar radiation has been
suggested as a way to mediate the warming effects of contemporary climate change, but a
geoengineering program for thousands of years could also be used to enlarge the size of
the polar ice caps and create a permanently cooler climate. Such a large ice cap state
would make Earth less susceptible to climate threats and could allow human civilization
to survive further into the future than otherwise possible. Intentionally extending Earth's
glacial coverage will require uninterrupted commitment to this program for millenia but
would ultimately reach a cooler equilibrium state where geoengineering is no longer
needed. Whether or not this program is ever attempted, this concept illustrates the need to
identify preference among potential climate states to ensure the long-term success of
civilization.
Keywords: global catastrophic risk; geoengineering; glacial cycles; climate change
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