Policymakers have raised questions about geoengineering (GE) -- large-scale deliberate interventions in the earth's climate system to diminish climate change or its impacts -- and its role in a broader strategy of mitigating and adapting to climate change. Most GE proposals fall into 2 categories: carbon dioxide removal, which would remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, and solar radiation management, which would offset temperature increases by reflecting sunlight back into space. This report examined: (1) the state of GE science; (2) federal involvement in GE; and (3) the views of experts and federal officials about the extent to which federal laws and international agreements apply to GE, and any governance challenges. A print on demand pub.

Climate Change: A Coordinated Strategy Could Focus Federal Geoengineering Research and Inform Governance Efforts

The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) is an independent agency that works for Congress. The GAO watches over Congress, and investigates how the federal government spends taxpayers dollars. The Comptroller General of the United States is the leader of the GAO, and is appointed to a 15-year term by the U.S. President. The GAO wants to support Congress, while at the same time doing right by the citizens of the United States. They audit, investigate, perform analyses, issue legal decisions and report anything that the government is doing. This is one of their reports.

"Policymakers have raised questions about geoengineering-large-scale deliberate interventions in the earth's climate system to diminish climate change or its impacts-and its role in a broader strategy of mitigating and adapting to climate change. Most geoengineering proposals fall into two categories: carbon dioxide removal (CDR), which would remove carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere, and solar radiation management (SRM), which would offset temperature increases by reflecting sunlight back into space. GAO was asked to examine (1) the state of geoengineering science, (2) federal involvement in geoengineering, and (3) the views of experts and federal officials about the extent to which federal laws and international agreements apply to geoengineering, and any governance challenges. GAO examined relevant scientific and policy studies, relevant domestic laws and international agreements, analyzed agency data describing relevant research for fiscal years 2009 and 2010, and interviewed federal officials and selected recognized experts in the field. "

This is a print on demand edition of a hard to find publication. It is urgent that we must reduce emissions of carbon dioxide to help mitigate negative effects of climate change. Recently, there have been questions about geo-engineering (GE) -- large-scale deliberate interventions in the earth's climate system to diminish climate change. Most GE proposals fall into two approaches: solar radiation management, which offset temp. increases by reflecting a small percentage of the sun's light back into space; and carbon dioxide removal, which removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. This testimony focuses on: (1) the state of the science regarding GE approaches and their effects; (2) fed. involvement in GE activities; and (3) the views of experts about the extent to which fed. laws and internat. agree. apply to GE.

Climate engineering (CE), also known as geo-engineering, can be described as the deliberate large-scale modification of the earth's climate systems for the purposes of counteracting and mitigating climate change. As this subject becomes the focus of more serious consideration and scrutiny within the scientific and policy communities, it is important to acknowledge that CE carries with it not only possible benefits, but also an enormous range of uncertainties, ethical and political concerns, and the potential for harmful environ. and econ. side-effects. Contents of this report: (1) Congressional Hearings; (2) Research Needs and Capacities; (3) Organizational Models; (4) Findings and Recommend.; (5) U.S.-U.K. Joint Agreement. This is a print on demand report.