Weaponizing The Climate

Weaponizing The Climate: Geoengineering's Military Potential

By Alexis Madrigal
January 30, 2008 3:21:45 PM
Categories: Climate, Military
Courtesy Of: Wired.com

Hacking the climate to save ourselves from global warming's worst consequences is a real possibility that we've explored several times here at Wired and elsewhere. But a new article in Foreign Policy by futurist Jamais Cascio takes a deep look at the geopolitical dilemmas presented by our prospective ability to intentionally alter the climate. He argues that the the "subtle, long-term aspects of geoengineering could make it appealing" to states looking for "alternative, unexpected ways of boosting their strategic power relative to competitors."

The offensive use of geoengineering could take a variety of forms. Overproductive algae blooms can actually sterilize large stretches of ocean over time, effectively destroying fisheries and local ecosystems. Sulfur dioxide carries health risks when it cycles out of the stratosphere. One proposal would pull cooler water from the deep oceans to the surface in an explicit attempt to shift the trajectories of hurricanes. Some actors might even deploy counter-geoengineering projects to slow or alter the effects of other efforts.

Cascio also notes that it would be hard to detect geoengineering efforts designed to combat global warming or its effects with those intended to harm another country's environment, which is a total bonus for military planners. He recommends that we both try to avoid a climate disaster, but just in case, also "expand the global environmental sensor and satellite networks allowing us to monitor ecosystem changes—and manipulation."

Note that Brandon has touched on some of these issues in an excellent article and blog post: Global Climate Engineering: Who Controls the Thermostat? and China Leads Weather Control Race.

Link [Foreign Policy], Via Grist

See Also:Climate Engineering is Doable, as Long as We Never StopGeoengineering Not a Free Pass to Pollute