Cooling and emissions removal

Global Cooling

In order to reduce the risk of triggering runaway positive feedbacks urgent initiatives are required to lower the temperature immediately in parallel to the emission reduction activities listed in the previous section. The following actions, if taken to scale, can trigger cooling:

  • Albedo modification and solar radiation management (e.g.: White roofs campaign) – only reversible methods should be researched. 1WP TCM

  • Extremely drastic cuts in emissions of short-lived warming agents such as methane, including capture (or burning to convert to less potent C02) methane from agriculture and landfill. TCM 1WP

  • Extremely rapid sequestration of greenhouse gases through global ecosystem restoration. TCM

  • A global switch to veganism combined with a gigantic reforestation and afforestation effort on former pastureland and grassland. TCM

  • Restoring water cycles to cool the planet

Negative Emissions

IPCC 1.5°C report has faced criticism as it relies heavily on ‘negative emission’ (ways of pulling carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere - primarily via BECCS, which is not yet proven effective at scale), to delay / buy time for more radical reduction measures. While the ‘radical’ emission reduction measures outlined in the previous section will reduce warming, some negative emissions will be required to limit (or restore) temperature increase to around 1.5 degrees warming, so “investment in the development of CDR [carbon dioxide removal] options remains an important strategy if the international community intends to implement the Paris target” (Ecofys). Key CDR options include:

  • Bioenergy with carbon capture and sequestration (BECCS) TCM

  • Large scale afforestation & reforestation TCM 1WP

    • Cut deforestation and other logging by 50 per cent in 5 years (2023) and net deforestation completely by 20 years. 1WP

  • A half-earth conservation and ocean-protection program to halt the ongoing mass extinction of species and turn ecosystems into effective carbon sinks – prioritising key location in the biosphere based on their uniqueness and need for preservation. TCM

  • Carbon sequestration on agricultural lands TCM 1WP

    • Bind 1 Gt CO2 in the soil in 5 years (2023). Incentivize soil carbon sequestration on a large scale - establish a system to pay landowners for soil carbon sequestration efforts at a rate of $150 per tonne carbon sequestered/acre/year, or higher. 1WP

  • Rapidly rollout any geo-engineering projects with short-term benefits – be they reduction in temperature or removal of CO2 – after careful scrutiny of the environmental impacts both in the short term and in the long run. 1WP

FOOTNOTES

The scenarios and actions outlines in this section have been derived from:

1WP: Randers, J & Gilding, P (2010). The one degree war plan. Journal of Global Responsibility, Vol. 1 No. 1 pp 170. https://paulgilding.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/one-degree-war-plan-emerald-version.pdf

TCM: Silk, E (2016) The Climate Mobilization Victory Plan. Published by The Climate Mobilization August 2016, revised March 2019. https://www.theclimatemobilization.org/victory-plan

Ecofys: Ecofys/Navigant (2018). Energy transition within 1.5°C – A disruptive approach to 100% decarbonisation of the global energy system by 2050. White Paper. https://www.navigant.com/-/media/www/site/downloads/energy/2018/navigant2018energytransitionwithin15c.pdf