A very large number of human beings, even among those that accept the science of climate change and it’s likely consequences, have proven remarkably resistant to ANY persuasion to voluntarily moderate their lifestyles even a little to make the kind of changes that, if they were made en-masse, could mitigate the worst impacts. They are even MORE resistant to even mild attempts to impose change by way of a carbon pricing mechanism. God forbid I may have to pay 5% more for certain goods, or that I should sacrifice one of my SUVs.
My main gripe therefore with these geoengineering proposals is twofold.
1. On what planet where we we’re not willing to pay even a modest price on carbon, are we going to be willing to pay trillions for geoengineering projects?
2. Geoengineering is yet another reflection of that innate human desire to externalise costs as much as possible. Whether that be the cost of labour, pollution, or climate change. It’s always the ‘other’ that should bear the worst costs - the third world, the whales, the forests, whatever.
The attitude of placing greater importance on ‘us’ over everything and everyone else is exactly what got us into this fine mess, AND STILL IS. You may think your view is unpopular but only insofar as people don’t actually want to hear the truth about themselves.
Note: I’m already aware that my two points may be slightly contradictory.