Geoengineering as a Possible "Insurance Policy" Against Sudden Climate Change Topic of Sept. 28 University of Pittsburgh Lecture

PITTSBURGH-Can human engineering partially offset an abrupt climate change wrought by our own gluttony for fossil fuels? Known as geoengineering, the possibly risky concept is worth exploring should the Earth's climate or sea level change suddenly, says Michael C. MacCracken, chief scientist for Climate Change Programs at the Climate Institute, a nonpartisan Washington-based organization that means to heighten climate change awareness and identify practical responses.

MacCracken will address geoengineering as an "insurance policy" against large and sudden climate change during the University of Pittsburgh Department of Geology and Planetary Science's Colloquium and Honors College Friday Afternoon Lecture Series at 3 p.m. Sept. 28 in Thaw Hall, Room 11, at 3943 O'Hara St.

Geoengineering involves limiting solar radiation through such methods as manipulating the planet's atmosphere or increasing ground-based reflectivity. In theory, such steps could help dilute the warming influence of carbon emissions in the atmosphere for the near future. But geoengineering carries risks and those should be explored should people need an emergency geoengineering method, MacCracken says.

MacCracken also is president of the International Association of Meteorology and Atmospheric Sciences, serves on the executive committees of the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics and Scientific Committee for Oceanic Research, and is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. MacCracken received his B.S. degree in engineering from Princeton University in 1964 and his PhD degree in Applied Science from the University of California Davis/Livermore in 1968. His dissertation evaluated several hypotheses of the causes of ice ages.

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9/24/07/tmw