Jordan Wirfs-Brock's Profile

Dyson’s early geo-engineering vision addressed a central, and still daunting,
problem: neither sulfur-aerosol injection nor an armada of cloud whiteners nor
an array of space-shades would do much to reduce carbon-dioxide levels. As long
as carbon emissions remain constant, the atmosphere will fill with more and more
greenhouse gases. Blocking the sun does nothing to stop the buildup. It is not
even like fighting obesity with liposuction: it’s like fighting obesity with a
corset, and a diet of lard and doughnuts. Should the corset ever come off, the
flab would burst out as if the corset had never been there at all. For this
reason, nearly every climate scientist who spoke with me unhesitatingly
advocated cutting carbon emissions over geo-engineering.