By Elizabeth Kolbert
October-December 2006 (Vol. 7, No. 4)
Discussion Questions
- What is meant by the term Anthropocene? What do you think of this term?
Is it scientifically accurate? Is it useful sociopolitically? - The author asserts that this term has entered common usage. Can you find evidence of this on the internet?
- What is meant by “geoengineering”? How might it contribute to decreasing global warming?
- The article states that some scientists have called the proposal for geoengineering a “dangerous delusion.” What do they mean by this?
- Both proponents and critics of geoengineering seem to agree that we cannot fully know what the results of these approaches, such as injecting sulfur into the atmosphere, will be. In the face of a crisis like global warming, is it acceptable or foolish to experiment in this way?
Websites for Further Information
- Pew Center on Global Climate Change: http://www.pewclimate.org/
- 21stC, the World of Research at Columbia University: http://www.columbia.edu/cu/21stC/issue-2.1/huyghe.htm
- Stanford Environmental Law Journal: http://www.metatronics.net/lit/geo2.html
Climate Change in the News
- See the film “An Inconvenient Truth” and then read reviews of the film on-line.
- Goodell, J., “Can Dr. Evil save the world?” Rolling Stone, November 16, 2006
Key Concepts
- Climate Change
- Global Warming
- Geoengineering
