Last month, I was interviewed for the syndicated “Living on Earth” program (typically heard on NPR stations) on the subject of geoengineering. That interview was run this past weekend, and is now available — with transcript — at the Living on Earth website.
YOUNG: What do you think is the likelihood that we might need a geo-engineering approach?
CASCIO: I think it’s more likely than not, unfortunately because…
YOUNG: Now wait a minute, you spent all this time telling me how it’s a disaster, now you’re saying we might have to use it?
CASCIO: Well, yes. It’s because over the past few decades we simply have been ignoring the problem of global warming. We’re in a situation where we simply no longer have the best option available to us. The best option would have been to deal with this 20 years ago.
And so, what we’re stuck with [is] a selection of less good options. Are we talking rapid decarbonization and what that’s going to the economy? Are we talking about making major changes to our energy infrastructure? Useful, but again, disruptive. These other alternatives are so seemingly unpalatable. It’s very likely that we’re going to be stuck in a situation where we will feel ourselves forced to take radical action.
Emphasis in that last paragraph on the “seemingly,” btw.