Tutorial on Climate Intervention Technologies

Climate intervention technologies are innovative solutions being developed to mitigate the effects of climate change. These technologies include carbon capture and storage (CCS), geoengineering, and weather modification. This tutorial aims to provide an overview of these technologies, their mechanisms, challenges, and the importance of understanding their sociotechnical dynamics.

Table of Contents

1. Introduction to Climate Intervention Technologies
2. Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS)
3. Geoengineering and Solar Radiation Management
4. Cloud Seeding and Weather Modification
5. Multi-Level Perspective (MLP) Analysis
6. Challenges and Risks
7. Case Studies: Leaders in Climate Intervention Technologies
8. Conclusion

Introduction to Climate Intervention Technologies

Climate intervention technologies are being developed to address the challenges posed by climate change. The Paris Agreement's goal to limit global average warming to below 2°C by 2100 requires the capture and sequestration of between 400 and 1000 gigatons (GT) of CO2. This has led to the exploration of various climate intervention technologies, including negative emissions technologies (NETs) and geoengineering solutions.

Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS)

Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is a critical technology for reducing CO2 emissions. CCS involves capturing CO2 emissions from sources such as power plants and industrial processes and storing them underground, preventing their release into the atmosphere.

Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS)

BECCS combines biomass production, carbon capture, and storage. Biomass (e.g., crops) absorbs CO2 during growth. When burned, the CO2 is captured and stored underground. BECCS is considered a negative emissions technology because it removes more CO2 from the atmosphere than it emits.

Key Points:

• Combines bioenergy with carbon capture and storage.
• Removes CO2 from the atmosphere.
• Considered a negative emissions technology.

Direct Air Capture with Carbon Storage (DACCS)

DACCS involves capturing CO2 directly from the air and storing it underground. This technology is particularly useful for addressing diffuse CO2 emissions, such as those from transportation.

Key Points:

• Captures CO2 directly from the atmosphere.
• Stores CO2 underground.
• Useful for addressing diffuse emissions.

Geoengineering and Solar Radiation Management

Geoengineering involves large-scale interventions in the Earth's climate system to counteract the effects of global warming. One prominent approach is solar radiation management (SRM), which aims to reflect a small percentage of the sun's radiation back into space, thereby reducing the Earth's temperature.

Solar Radiation Management Techniques

Stratospheric Aerosol Injection (SAI)

• Involves injecting aerosols (e.g., sulfur dioxide) into the stratosphere to reflect sunlight.
• Mimics the cooling effect of large volcanic eruptions.

Space-Based Reflectors

• Proposes deploying reflectors in space to block a small fraction of sunlight before it reaches Earth.
• Theoretically, could provide a global cooling effect.

Key Points:

• Aims to reduce global temperatures by reflecting sunlight.
• Includes SAI and space-based reflectors.
• High risks and uncertainties.

Cloud Seeding and Weather Modification

Cloud seeding is a form of weather modification that involves introducing substances (e.g., silver iodide) into clouds to enhance precipitation or alter cloud properties. This technique is used to induce rain or snow and has potential applications in agriculture and water resource management.

Mechanisms of Cloud Seeding

1. ** Precipitation Enhancement:** Intended to increase rainfall or snowfall.
2. ** Hail Suppression:** Aims to reduce the size of hailstones, minimizing crop damage.
3. ** Fog Dispersal:** Seeks to clear fog by introducing ice nuclei or other agents.

Key Points:

• Involves introducing substances into clouds to modify their properties.
• Applications include precipitation enhancement, hail suppression, and fog dispersal.
• Limited understanding of long-term impacts.

Multi-Level Perspective (MLP) Analysis

The Multi-Level Perspective (MLP) framework is used to analyze the sociotechnical dynamics of climate intervention technologies. MLP focuses on three levels: 1. Niche: Localized development of new technologies and practices. 2. Regime: Dominant structures and practices that shape the broader sociotechnical system. 3. Landscape: Macro-level factors such as policy, public opinion, and natural environment.

Application of MLP to Climate Intervention Technologies

• BECCS: Follows a "stretch-and-transform" transition pathway, requiring significant changes to existing energy systems.
• DACCS: Follows a "fit-and-conform" transition pathway, leveraging existing infrastructure and regulatory frameworks.
• Cloud Seeding: Follows a "stretch-and-conform" transition pathway, requiring some adjustments to existing practices but fitting within current systems.

Key Points:

• Analyzes interactions across niche, regime, and landscape levels.
• Provides insights into the sociotechnical dynamics of BECCS, DACCS, and CS.
• Highlights the importance of understanding these dynamics for successful deployment.

Challenges and Risks

The development and deployment of climate intervention technologies face several challenges and risks, including:

Technical Complexity

• High technical complexity of large-scale deployment.
• Limited understanding of long-term environmental impacts.

Public Acceptance

• Ethical concerns and public skepticism about large-scale interventions in the climate system.

Costs

• High costs of development, deployment, and maintenance.
• Economic inequality in accessing these technologies.

Justice and Equity

• Potential for uneven benefits and risks across different regions and communities.

Key Points:

• Technical, social, and ethical challenges must be addressed.
• Costs, risks, and justice concerns are critical factors.
• Non-technical and social aspects remain understudied.

Case Studies: Leaders in Climate Intervention Technologies

United Kingdom (BECCS)

• The UK is a leader in BECCS development, with projects like Drax's BECCS project.
• Focus on integrating BECCS into the energy system.

United States (DACCS)

• The US is at the forefront of DACCS development.
• Deployment of DACCS hubs across the country.

Australia (Cloud Seeding)

• Australia is a leader in cloud seeding research and deployment.
• Focus on improving water resource management through weather modification.

Key Points:

• UK, US, and Australia are leaders in BECCS, DACCS, and CS, respectively.
• Significant investments and innovations in these technologies.
• Development of new technologies and facilities.

Conclusion

Climate intervention technologies are critical for addressing the challenges of climate change. Understanding their sociotechnical dynamics, including their development, deployment, and public acceptance, is essential for their successful deployment. Addressing justice, cost, and environmental concerns is crucial for achieving net-zero emissions goals. Continued research and collaboration are needed to overcome the technical and social barriers associated with these technologies.