22.9.2009
UK Research Councils make available £3 million for research into global warming slow-down technology
The UK research councils are providing funding for research toward technologies that can help the slow-down of global warming, the Times Higher Education magazine reports. The councils’ initiative is seen largely as a response to the Royal Society report released at the beginning of the month, stating that large-scale technological fixes might be the only option if developed and developing countries around the world fail to meet necessary emission reduction targets. The report considers a variety of large-scale technological inventions in the goal to reduce and slow global warming, however, further research is needed to assess which methods are viable and feasible, and in order to estimate any risks involved in the technologies. The funding is part of a three-year energy programme worth £319 million, led by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and is intended to fund between six to eight projects. As funding reaches across all five UK research councils, this represents somewhat of a novelty, as it is the first time such sums have been invested by the councils into geoengineering. However, the problem of global warming continues to present a considerable threat, and any new technology to make a major impact will have to be tested on all levels, including ethical considerations. As such, this funding initiative is but an important beginning for further plans to widen research and conduct adequate testing in the field of such technologies. More information on this topic is available on: http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=26&storycode=408066&c=1 |
