The Problems with Tech Fixes
Geoeng Info
The Problems with Tech Fixes
Abstract
Technical fixes are highly favoured by most decision-makers because they involve the least disruption to existing social and economic order. However, in today’s ‘full world’ they often meet with unintended consequences. In this chapter, we examine a number of these in the context of mitigating climate change: nuclear power; energy-efficient improvement; various technologies for carbon dioxide removal (CDR); and geoengineering in the form of solar radiation management (SRM). Nuclear energy is losing market share, and even the nuclear industry does not predict share recovery. Reductions in energy intensity have not prevented global energy growth, because of unmet demand in presently low-energy countries. CDR in the form of forestation has been implemented in some places, but net loss in global forest biomass is still occurring. Other forms of CDR are still unproven at the very large scales needed. SRM is likewise unproven, and like CDR technologies, would eventually face FF depletion.