There's a logic fail in my old friend @billmckibben's effort to derail @DKeithClimate's plan to loft a balloon in Sweden. Arguing even this tiny step toward assessing #SRM must wait until '30 misses how long it takes to do anything related to climate. newyorker.com/news/annals-of…
Every facet of the global climate challenge is super tough and requires years (generations even) of effort. Today's photovoltaic, LED, and battery successes did not arise from Musk-style entrepreneurship. They started with grinding basic study, like lofting a first balloon. 2/
And I'm no #SRM fan. I see no prospect this tech will used at scale in my or Bill's lifetimes (there's no plausible "lone actor" scenario & governments will never agree on full-scale deployment). But I do see merit in understanding what's possible. dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/11/11/mor… 3/
In 2016, as #DotEarth came to a close I noted research showing that humans have *already* been influencing climate by changing flows of particulate pollutants with both warming and cooling influences (as well as direct health effects). dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/10/18/can… 4/
I see @DKeithClimate et al's argument for feathered, reversible tailoring of humanity's particulate contribution to the atmosphere & climate as reasonable work that's in line with Bill's longtime notion of "silver buckshot" more than bullets. That has to include tech. 5/
Maybe this is all moot. New @NCAR_CGD research on #covid19 pollution drops & 2020 climate found continued warming was substantially driven by a *drop* in cooling aerosols - demonstrating the #SRM effect now being so hotly attacked as a "hack." scitechdaily.com/covid-19-lockd… 6/
A last point. Bill's argument is that #SRM (still a tiny corner of climate conversation) could hinder action on emissions policies harks back to @algore's early argument against adaptation. Just because bad actors exploit things doesn't mean they're wrong. Gore changed later.7/7
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My quibble with the New Yorker story is with #climatechange framing. CO2 impacts on hurricane dynamics still pale beside the drivers of risk via social/political pressures leading to extreme exposure & vulnerability of Haitians in Bahamas. Dorian was epic but not unique. 3/⤵️
Rare chance to AMA Larry Altman, 1pm ET. Hard to find anyone with deeper perspective in a week with a @POTUS, the press & an exhausted public flailing amid a pandemic. He edited @CDCMMWR early days, covered presidents' health 40 years for @NYTimes -joined by two Pulitzer winners!
You really have to meet Larry Altman, who's currently a global fellow at @TheWilsonCenter but wore a fascinating hat in the CDC smallpox unit in '65 (pic via @JHSPH_CHS) and did the first presidential interview on health with Reagan for @nytimes in '80: j.mp/larryaltman 1/
NEW! Friday at 1pm join our special #SustainWhat#covid19 news review with the dean of "All the Presidents' Health" reporting, my old @NYTScience colleague Lawrence K. Altman MD! Simply had to announce around @DavidCayJ's old tweet. Details soon> j.mp/sustainwhatlive 1/⤵️
Here's a great reflection by Larry Altman (currently a fellow at @TheWilsonCenter on his reporting journey focused on presidential health, starting with a Reagan interview in 1980. 2/⤵️ nytimes.com/2016/11/01/ins…
Even better, "Coming Plague" author & peerless pandemic reporter (& frequent guest) @Laurie_Garrett will join us. Also @deborahblum of @KSJatMIT - to explore health-risk coverage challenges & choices. Don't miss her great @undark guide to covid19 Qs: undark.org/tag/reader-que… 3/⤵️
1. Some context for this LIVE @earthinstitute conversation at noon (US Eastern) on lessons from the #COVID19 pandemic and related economic turmoil that might reshape development/wellbeing pathways going forward. Join Herman Daly and @KateRaworth