Geo-Engineering: a cost-benefit analysis

Writing frequently around the topic of geo-engineering to modify Earth’s climate either through altering atmospheric carbon or by reducing the solar radiation reaching Earth, it has become clear that the whole issue revolves around a cost-benefit analysis. All geo-engineering techniques bring different costs and benefits and it is up to humans to analyse, assess and come to conclusions on whether any of the methods are suitable or whether business as usual is less risk. Costs can be more than just financial, they can include unintended consequences, time and other environmental impacts. I have advocated the use of carbon dioxide removal techniques because they are low risk but many may support the use of solar geo-engineering because of the greater benefits. This discussion and debate can only be valuable in attempting to determine human response to anthropogenic climate change be it low risk or high reward.