Andy ScollickJan 25, 2023

One minute I'm reading about how we've reached 'peak oil & gas'. Next minute I'm reading about new oil & gas developments in the Arctic, North Sea, Middle East and elsewhere.

We're already at 420 ppm atmospheric CO2 and a global average 1.2 deg C heating (2 deg C regionally in Europe).

Meanwhile, CEOs of state oil & gas producers are applying liberal coats of greenwash via the UNFCCC #COP28.

Are we, as a species, really this stupid and weak? Apparently so. Committing "climate suicide".

Show threadShield MaidenJan 25, 2023
@Andy_Scollick Because I'm a naturally suspicious person, I do wonder whether one day the oil companies will decide to do some massive geo-engineering to 'cool the planet' by scattering say sulphur into the upper atmosphere...and no-one will be able to stop them...
Show threadAndy ScollickJan 25, 2023
@Judeet88 It's a valid conern. It is actually a concern that is discussed by strategists and planners, both military and civil, in the NATO community. The big 'fear' is that China could extend its cloud-seeding geo-engeneering efforts further across the Hamilayas and impact India's water resources (or even weaponise it to cause flooding), resulting in tensions, war, even nuclear exchange. That's just one example. Needs 'eyes on' and proper consideration for sure.
Show threadShield MaidenJan 25, 2023
@Andy_Scollick I read the other day that a small sulphur-seeding project had been operating on the Mexican border, run by the US, but no info as to whether it'd been shut down. I've literally just finished reading a book about this very thing, only published last yr I think...which has kind of primed me to think about it.
Show threadMarcelJan 25, 2023
@Judeet88 @Andy_Scollick I recently read about a startup that is doing just that. We need regulation on this, worlwide. https://gizmodo.com/make-sunsets-solar-geoengineering-sulfur-climate-change-1849931460
Startup Claims It's Sending Sulfur Into the Atmosphere to Fight Climate Change

Make Sunsets sells "cooling credits" for $10 and alleges that 1 gram of sulfur particles offsets the impacts of 1 ton of carbon emissions.

Gizmodo
Show threadAndy ScollickJan 25, 2023
@kritischelezer @Judeet88 This start-up is dangerous. However, they have done us all a favour by highlighting the issue and threat. The problem will come when someone like Elon Musk decides he can geoengineer the climate - I'm surprised he hasn't already, as he wants to do it with Mars!
Show threadShield MaidenJan 25, 2023
@Andy_Scollick @kritischelezer Though we can be fairly confident he's not on here, I've no doubt he'll cotton onto such a project in his quest to "save the world"...unless someone else beats him to it, which appears to increasingly be the case at present. (apologies for the split infinitive).
Show threadAndy ScollickJan 25, 2023
@Judeet88 @kritischelezer I would be surprised if Musk, Bezos and Branson (and others) haven't had thoughts along these lines. Unless we (i.e. all the world's states) establish a global governance mechanism to regulate this now, before it's too late, I can't see this ending well. At the very least, geoengineering serves to provide political decision takers with another excuse to delay "known knowns": massive conversion to renewables, sustianble agricultural practices etc.
Show threadShield Maiden
@Andy_Scollick @kritischelezer And to ensure that any geo-engineering in the future can only be financed by the super mega rich and oil companies, who'll no longer have that many oil fields to exploit. They will present themselves as our 'saviours' at a very very high price and present no alternatives.
Jan 25, 2023 at 1:25pmWeb
Show threadJust Matthew 🙏Jan 31, 2023

@Judeet88

Geo-engineering has been going on for a long time. Here's something from The Economist, published in 2015:

"After displays of hardware and prowess in India, Pakistan, Russia and Taiwan this year, China held the most vainglorious march-past yet under clear blue skies (especially seeded for the purpose) in Tiananmen Square on September 3rd."

https://www.economist.com/china/2015/09/05/parades-end

@Andy_Scollick @kritischelezer

Parade’s end

The real purpose of a rare military display was to show who is in charge

The Economist
Show threadAndy ScollickJan 31, 2023
@Irreverent_B @Judeet88 @kritischelezer Thank you! Useful article
Show threadJust Matthew 🙏Jan 31, 2023

@Andy_Scollick

Indeed .. it's a bit hard to call The Economist flaky or conspiratorial!

@Judeet88 @kritischelezer

Show threadShield MaidenJan 31, 2023
@Irreverent_B @Andy_Scollick @kritischelezer One can still ask for whom they write though, who pays them and who's in charge of them....
Show threadJust Matthew 🙏Jan 31, 2023

@Judeet88

The ownership is common knowledge and not hidden.

If you have read it you'll know it provides a fairly interesting balance of journalism and editorial content, and though clearly it has a pro-business stance, it is not unquestioning of business issues.

@Andy_Scollick @kritischelezer