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Geoengineering

Intentional, large-scale manipulation of the environment by humans to bring about environmental change, particularly to counteract the undesired side effects of other human activities.

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Date:
05/18/2010
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English
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ETC Group News Release 18 May 2010www.etcgroup.org

United Nations science body calls for halt on climate-hacking experiments

Geoengineering moratorium proposal will go to UN Biodiversity Convention

http://www.handsoffmotherearth.org/Nairobi, Kenya - A formal recommendation for a moratorium on all climate geoengineering activities is being sent to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) for consideration by its 193 member governments when the CBD gathers in Nagoya Japan this October. Governments attending the Nairobi meeting of the scientific subcommittee of the UN Convention (SBSTTA 14) agreed late last week to forward the groundbreaking recommendation after a high degree of consensus was reached. In a related move, the scientific subcommittee also reviewed and supported the ongoing global moratorium on one geoengineering technique, ocean... Read more

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Date:
05/10/2010
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ETC Group

News Release10 May 2010

As huge cloud-whitening experiment goes public, global coalition urges an immediate halt to geoengineering

First UN talks on issue in thirty years begin today

http://www.handsoffmotherearth.org

Amidst revelations in this weekend’s London Times newspaper{1} that a team of scientists and engineers funded by billionaire Bill Gates are planning to carry out a 10,000 square kilometer field trial of controversial “cloud-whitening†technology, over one hundred civil society groups are urging governments meeting on biological diversity in Nairobi to stop risky geoengineering experiments now. Geoengineering refers to large-scale technological schemes to intentionally alter the planet’s systems as a quick fix for climate change.

The San Francisco based “Silver Lining Project†directed by entrepreneur... Read more

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Date:
04/22/2010
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French
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Ne touchez pas à notre Terre mère!

Arrêtons la géoingénierie : notre planète n’est pas un laboratoire

Les sociétés industrielles ont donné lieu à des crises écologiques sans précédent : changements climatiques, épuisement des réserves d’eau potable, accumulation de toxines, effondrement des écosystèmes et accélération de l’extinction des espèces. La transgression des limites naturelles dans le but de réaliser des profits a compromis l’intégrité et la survie de notre Terre. Cette façon de vivre sur Terre est devenue insoutenable. Le bon sens nous dicte de passer à l’action afin de bâtir, au plus vite, une civilisation plus juste ayant une empreinte moins profonde sur la planète.

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Date:
04/22/2010
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Hands off Mother Earth!

Stop Geoengineering - Our home is not a laboratory

Industrial societies have produced unprecedented ecological crises: climate change, depleted fresh water, build-up of toxins, collapse of ecosystems and accelerating species extinction. The transgression of natural limits for private gain has compromised the integrity and survival of our living planet, Mother Earth. This way of living on the Earth has become unsustainable. Common sense says we must act to build a fairer civilization, one that steps more lightly on the planet – and fast.

 

A bad idea whose time has come

But common sense isn't the only option on the table. A group of increasingly influential scientists, corporations and think tanks, backed by some of the governments that carry the largest climate debt, are proposing a different path out of this crisis: a Plan B. Rather than changing harmful... Read more

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Date:
04/21/2010
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News Release - 21st April 2010 - For Immediate Release

 Hands Off Mother Earth!

Civil Society Groups announce new global campaign against geoengineering tests – urge public to join in.

www.handsoffmotherearth.org

 

Cochabamba Bolivia  - On the eve of UN Mother Earth Day, over sixty national and international organizations today threw their weight behind a common statement launching a global campaign to prevent real world deployment of geoengineering experiments.

Geoengineering refers to large-scale intentional tinkering with the climate and earth systems to counteract global warming. The ‘Hands Off Mother Earth’ campaign (or H.O.M.E. campaign) regards such geoengineering schemes as dangerous and unjust. It is urging individuals and organizations to speak out in opposing them.

“With rich... Read more

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Type:
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Date:
04/19/2010
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MEDIA ADVISORY

For Immediate Release

 

April 19, 2010

ETC Group attends Cochabamba Climate Change Conference: Presses for a Ban on Geoengineering.

 

Cochabamba, Bolivia - To advance meaningful international action on confronting the climate crisis, the Bolivian government is this week hosting a Peoples’ Conference on Climate Change and The Rights of Mother Earth featuring close to 10,000 attendees. These include government representatives, social movements, non-governmental organizations and Indigenous Peoples from around the world.

 

WHAT: Civil society organizations are increasingly alarmed that the world's most powerful governments, corporations and individuals are moving to initiate real world experiments in geoengineering. These are large-scale proposals to deliberately alter the climate, for example by creating artificial volcanoes to pollute the atmosphere with sulphur particles. Proponents of... Read more

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Type:
News Item
Date:
03/25/2010
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English
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Type:
News Item
Date:
03/25/2010
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English
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Press Advisory

 

Contact: Charles Margulis, 510-697-0615 (cell);

Diana Bronson, ETC Group, (514)-273-6661, (514) 629-9236 (cell)

 

Environmental Watchdogs Raise Concerns About San Francisco Company and its International Geoengineering Conference in California This Week

 

Climate Experiments Pursued for Profit Pose Serious Environmental Risks, Warns More Than 70 Groups

 

WHAT:            Press Briefing on concerns around this week’s “International

Conference on Climate Intervention Technologiesâ€

 

WHERE:            San Francisco Foundation

                        225 Bush St (entrance closest to Sansome... Read more

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Type:
News Item
Date:
03/22/2010
Language:
French
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Dr. Margaret Leinen, 

Climate Response Fund

71 Stevenson Street, Suite 400

San Francisco, CA 94105

Dr. Michael MacCracken,

Chef du comité organisateur scientifique

Climate Institute

900 17th Street, NW, Suite

Washington, DC 20006 

 

Objet : Conférence internationale d’Asilomar sur les technologies de modification du climat 22-26 mars 2010

 

En tant qu’organismes de la société civile et que mouvements sociaux cherchant à trouver des solutions constructives pour contrer les changements climatiques, nous désirons exprimer notre profonde inquiétude face à la rencontre organisée de façon privée  sur la géoingénierie qui se... Read more

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Date:
03/04/2010
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4 March 2010

Dr. Margaret Leinen,Climate Response Fund71 Stevenson Street, Suite 400San Francisco, CA 94105

Dr. Michael MacCracken,Head of the Scientific Organizing CommitteeClimate Institute900 17th Street, NW, SuiteWashington, DC 20006

 

Open Letter to the Climate Response Fund and the Scientific Organizing Committee

RE: Asilomar International Conference on Climate Intervention Technologies: March 22-26 2010

As civil society organizations and social movements working to find constructive solutions to climate change, we want to express our deep concerns with the upcoming privately organized meeting on geoengineering in Asilomar, California. Its stated aim, which is to «develop a set of voluntary guidelines, or best practices, for the least harmful and lowest risk conduct of research and testing of proposed climate intervention and geoengineering technologies,» is moving us down the wrong road too soon and without any speed... Read more

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Type:
News Item
Date:
02/12/2010
Language:
French
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Communiqué de presse

Le 12 février 2010

www.etcgroup.org

 

Les partisans de la géoingénierie préconisent l’expérimentation de technologies à haut risque

Des normes volontaires pour prendre la planète en otage

Si la plupart des scientifiques ont quitté la Conférence de Copenhague sur le climat plutôt déprimés quant à la force de leur influence, un petit groupe de défenseurs de la géoingénierie en sont sortis enhardis par l’absence de résultats et l’incertitude qui en découle face à l’avenir. Ce groupe de scientifiques souhaite procéder à des recherches et à des expérimentations sur des technologies de géoingénierie controversées, et la « gestion du rayonnement solaire Â» (GRS) suscite chez eux un réel enthousiasme. La GRS est un type d’intervention permettant de « faire baisser le thermostat de la planète Â» en réfléchissant une portion des rayons solaires dans l’espace,... Read more

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Type:
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Date:
02/11/2010
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ETC Group

News Release

February 11, 2010

www.etcgroup.org

 

Top-down Planet Hackers Call for Bottom-up Governance

Geoengineers Bid to Establish Voluntary Testing Regime Must be Opposed

While most scientists left the Copenhagen Climate Summit feeling gloomy about their influence, a small group of geoengineering advocates came away emboldened by the summit’s weak outcome and uncertain road ahead. This group of scientists aims to get on with research and experimentation in controversial geoengineering technologies. Their real excitement is over “solar radiation management†(SRM). This is a way of “cooling down the planet’s thermostat†by reflecting a portion of the sun’s rays back to outer space, through a variety of techniques ranging from sunshades in space, to aerosol sulphates in the stratosphere, to whitening clouds. These high-risk, planet-altering schemes affect global warming without changing... Read more

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Type:
Communiqué
Date:
12/14/2009
Language:
English
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Retooling  the Planet:  Climate Chaos in a Geoengineering Age, a Report Commissioned and Published by the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation.

retooling the planet cover

This critical overview of geoengineering technologies examines the history, politics and social and ecological implications of attempts to add large-scale, intentional manipulation of the planet to the menu of possible responses to climate change.   The report contests the notion that more funding, research and experimentation is needed into geoengineering technologies, and provides a series of recommendations on how these controversial technologies should be regulated.

To read the full report, click on "Download PDF" above.

To view the webcast of ETC Group's press conference in Copenhagen announcing the release of this paper, go to: http://tiny.cc/5BnqI

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Type:
Communiqué
Date:
12/14/2009
Language:
French
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Qui-nous-nourrira? Réflexions sur les crises alimentaire et climatique

La chaîne et le réseau : des dénominateurs peu communs

D’ici 2050, ou plus tôt encore, la terre sera cultivée dans des conditions jamais expérimentées; il faudra se faire à l’idée qu’une météo « normale » ne sera plus qu’une illusion. Et pourtant, on veut à tout prix nous convaincre qu’il y a tout à gagner de l’accaparement mondial des terres et de la plantation des agrocarburants. Mais une chose est sûre : les décideurs n’en savent pas assez sur l’approvisionnement alimentaire. Nous ignorons tout de la provenance des denrées et de la manière dont les personnes affamées se nourrissent. Nous ne savons pas non plus qui nous nourrira en 2050. La vertu de ce rapport est qu’il pose plus de questions qu’il n’apporte de réponses. Il se demande qui de la chaîne alimentaire industrielle ou du réseau alimentaire paysan nous aidera le mieux à affronter... Read more

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Type:
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Date:
12/11/2009
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English
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NEGOTIATORS warned to LOOK BEFORE LEAPING!

Civil Society Alarmed at Climate Technology Quick Fixes in Copenhagen 

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Type:
News Item
Date:
12/10/2009
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French
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POUR DIFFUSION IMMÉDIATE

 

LES NÉGOCIATEURS sont invités à RÉFLÉCHIR AVANT D’AGIR !

 

La société civile alarmée face aux solutions technologiques miracles au changement climatique proposées à Copenhague

 

Copenhague, le 10 décembre 2009 â€“ Plus de 160 groupes de la société civile, englobant des mouvements sociaux et des organisations non gouvernementales (ONG), ont rendu publique aujourd’hui une déclaration conjointe portant sur la technologie, intitulée « Réfléchissons avant d’agir ! Â». La déclaration vise à alerter les gouvernements devant l’absence, dans le projet d’entente sur les technologies de Copenhague, de toute mention d’un mécanisme d’évaluation environnementale et sociale fondé sur le principe de précaution. On y affirme également que l’approche actuelle présente de graves menaces à la santé humaine, aux droits de la personne, au mode de... Read more

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Type:
News Item
Date:
12/09/2009
Language:
French
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RÉFLÉCHISSONS AVANT D’AGIR

LA SOCIÉTÉ CIVILE APPELLE À UNE

ÉVALUATION DES TECHNOLOGIES

DANS LE CADRE DE TOUTE ENTENTE À COPENHAGUE

Le transfert de technologies constitue l’un des quatre principaux sujets qui seront discutés à Copenhague dans le cadre des négociations sur les actions de coopération à long terme (les trois autres étant l’atténuation, l’adaptation et le financement).  Le texte de négociation intergouvernemental qui fait l’objet de discussions envisage diverses mesures visant à accélérer la diffusion des technologies. Il donnera vraisemblablement lieu à un « plan d’action », ainsi qu’à la mise sur pied d’un « organe voué aux technologies » et de divers groupes techniques spéciaux ou centres... Read more

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Date:
12/09/2009
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让我们三æ€è€Œï¨ˆå…¬æ°‘ç¤¾ä¼šå‘¼åæŠ€æœ¯è¯„ä¼°æˆä¸ºä»»ä½•哥本哈根å定的组æˆéƒ¨åˆ†æˆ‘们 - æ¥è‡ªä¸–界å„地的公民社会组织和社会活动团体 – 认为迫切需è¦çœŸæ­£çš„ã€æŒä¹…的应对气候å˜åŒ–çš„è§£å†³æ–¹æ¡ˆã€‚æˆ‘ä»¬è®¤è¯†åˆ°ï¼Œå¦‚æžœæ²¡æœ‰çœŸæ­£çš„ã€æŒä¹…的应对气候å˜åŒ–的解决方案,将带æ¥äººç±»ä¸å¾—ä¸é¢å¯¹çš„è‡´å‘½åŽæžœã€‚我们必须紧迫地增强应对气候å˜åŒ–æŒ‘æˆ˜çš„èƒ½åŠ›ï¼ŒåŒæ—¶æ˜¾è‘—å‡å°‘温室气体的排放。一些公å¸ã€ä¸ªäººã€ç”šè‡³æ˜¯æ”¿åºœæ­£åœ¨ææ…Œå’Œæ— åŠ©åœ°æŽ¨å¹¿æœªç»æµ‹è¯•和未ç»è¯æ˜Žçš„æŠ€æœ¯ï¼Œä½œä¸ºâ€œæˆ‘们唯一的选择â€ã€‚ç„¶è€Œæˆ‘ä»¬ä¸æ„¿æ„看到,在没有考è¯å¯¹ç”Ÿæ€å’Œç¤¾ä¼šå½±å“çš„æƒ…å½¢ä¸‹ï¼Œè¿™äº›æœªç»æµ‹è¯•和未ç»è¯æ˜Žçš„æŠ€æœ¯ï¼Œå°±è¢«æŽ¨å¹¿ä½¿ç”¨ã€‚一些视为能储存碳或调控自然体系的技术,å¯èƒ½é€ æˆç¾é𾿀§çš„生æ€å’Œç¤¾ä¼šåŽæžœã€‚在æŸäº›æƒ…å½¢æˆ–æ–¹é¢æŠ€æœ¯è½¬è®©æ˜¯åœ¨å“¥æœ¬å“ˆæ ¹é•¿æœŸåˆä½œè¡ŒåŠ¨è°ˆåˆ¤ä¸­çš„å››ä¸ªå…³é”®è®®é¢˜ä¹‹ä¸€... Read more

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12/09/2009
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LA SOCIETÀ CIVILE CHIEDE VALUTAZIONE DEGLI IMPATTI DELLE TECNOLOGIENELL'AMBITO DI UN ACCORDO A COPENHAGENIl trasferimento di tecnologia è uno dei quattro temi principali cheverranno discussi nel corso dei negoziati sulle azioni di cooperazioneper il lungo termine a Copenaghen (gli altri sono mitigazione,adattamento e finanziamenti). Il testo negoziale preliminare contienediverse misure volte ad accelerare la diffusione di nuove tecnologie.Con ogni probabilità i negoziati si tradurranno in un "piano d'azione"e in un nuovo "organismo" di gestione delle tecnologie, che dovràcoordinare diversi pannelli tecnici e/o centri di innovazione, e cheavrà grande influenza negli anni a venire sul tipo di sostegnopolitico e finanziario che le nuove tecnologie riceveranno. In questoquadro, è di grande importanza riuscire a fare in modo che siano letecnologie appropriate e benefiche a ricevere il necessario sostegno,e non quelle pericolose o dannose. Questo non può... Read more

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News Item
Date:
12/08/2009
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English
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ON BEHALF OF AD HOC COALITION: LET’S LOOK BEFORE WE LEAP!

 

MEDIA ADVISORY

 

Alert to climate negotiators:

LETS LOOK BEFORE WE LEAP!

 

GAPING OVERSIGHT:  NO ASSESSMENT IN TECHNOLOGY TEXT

 

An international group of more than 150 civil society groups from 36 countries will release a joint declaration calling upon governments in Copenhagen to revamp the draft text on technology transfer, to ensure that the precautionary principle is respected and that high-risk and unproven climate “techno-fixes†are not allowed to put the world at risk.

 

WHO:   Third World Network and ETC Group with other signatories of declaration.

 

WHEN: Thursday,  December 10 2009 at 9:00 AM

 

WHERE: BELLA CENTRE, Hall H, Asger Jorn Room, Copenhagen

 

This press conference will be webcast.

Check Read more

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