Climate expert discusses geoengineering with House
The science and technology of preventing sunlight from reaching earth’s surface
WASHINGTON – Philip Rasch, chief scientist for climate science at the Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in Richland, Wash. testifies today before the House Committee on Science and Technology’s Subcommittee on Energy and Environment on Solar Radiation Management — approaches for managing the amount of sunlight reaching the Earth’s surface to counter some of the effects of global warming.
He will testify as part of a hearing titled “Geoengineering II: The Scientific Basis and Engineering Challenges.”
Geoengineering is the intentional modification of the earth’s climate. Specifically, Rasch will cover current scientific understanding of such aspects of solar radiation management as:
- How aerosol particles introduced into the lower and upper atmosphere might affect global warming and weather, both globally and locally
- The limitations of what scientists know and how to invest research dollars
- How much the methods might cost and how long the effects could last.
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