Verantwortung für globale Herausforderungen übernehmen: Ergebnisse und Interpretation des „Earth System Engineering“ –Kongresses

Assuming responsibility for global challenges: Results and interpretation of the Earth System Engineering congress

Korrespondenz Wasserwirtschaft 2, No. 10, 556-561

DOI: 10.3243/kwe2009.10.005

Abstract:

Climate change is a fact. Since people are worried about its consequences, we now begin to think how best to respond to it by CO 2 mitigation strategies and adaptation measures. When looking for possible solutions, geoengineering receives more and more attention. Geoengineering is to be understood as an evolving branch of science, although often regarded as utopian because it would involve large-scale engineering of the Earth´s climate to counteract the effects of global warming. In September 2008, the Institute of Advanced Studies on Sustainability (IASS) together with the Institute of Advanced Study of the Munich Technical University (IAS) organized for the EU Chapter of the Brussels Club of Rome and for UNESCO a scientific dialogue entitled “Earth System Engineering” on the functioning of the Earth system, possible threats to the system, and consequences thereof at Wildbad-Kreuth, Germany.