Geoengineering III: Domestic and International Research Governance
Date: Thursday, March 18, 2010
Time: 12:00 PM
Location: 2318 Rayburn House Office Building
Opening Statement By Chairman Bart Gordon
Good Afternoon. I want to welcome everyone to today’s hearing to discuss the Domestic and International Research Governance of Geoengineering.
Our changing climate has been the topic of sometimes heated discussion at some of our Committee’s hearings.
It is understandable - As with any field of science, climate science will continue to evolve over time to provide an even greater level of accuracy in its findings and forecasts.
However, in my opinion one thing is clear now – the overwhelming preponderance of data indicates that the global climate is changing, that humans are at least partially responsible, and that we can best mitigate the damage by reducing our emissions of greenhouse gases such as Carbon Dioxide.
Additionally, I am concerned that the impacts of climate change could outpace the world’s political, economic, and physical ability to avoid them through greenhouse gas reductions alone.
Therefore, we must know what other tools we have at our disposal, and if certain proposals for deliberate modification of the climate, otherwise known as geoengineering, represent an option.
But we cannot know until we have done the research on the full range of impacts of geoengineering.
It will take substantial time to research these new technologies, to develop appropriate governance structures, and to test them to see what potential benefits and hazards they may pose.
As the Chairman of the Committee of jurisdiction my interest is in providing a forum for an open and honest discussion of geoengineering, just as we will do for nuclear engineering, carbon caption sequestration, and other complex engineering subjects.
Today we are here to discuss matters of domestic and international governance for geoengineering research programs.
Witnesses
Panel 1
1 - MP Phil Willis
Chairman Science and Technology Committee United Kingdom House of Commons Science and Technology Committee United Kingdom House of Commons
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Panel 2
1 - Dr. Frank Rusco
Director Natural Resources and the Environment Government Accountability Office (GAO) Natural Resources and the Environment Government Accountability Office (GA
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2 - Dr. Granger Morgan
Department Head Engineering and Public Policy and Lord Chair Professor in Engineering Carnegie Mellon University Engineering and Public Policy and Lord Chair Pr
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3 - Dr. Scott Barrett
Lenfest Professor of Natural Resource Economics School of International and Public Affairs and the Earth Institute Columbia University School of International a
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4 - Dr. Jane Long
Principal Associate Director at Large Lawrence Livermore National Lab Lawrence Livermore National Lab
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