Geoengineering: Changing the Landscape of Design

    In her op-ed published in the New York Times, Naomi Klein (author of “The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism”) brings environmental issues to the forefront of people’s minds as she discusses geoengineering and its implications.  As our planet’s ecological conditions continue to deteriorate, many people are turning towards the tantalizing, easy fix to this problem presented by “rogue” scientists: geoengineering.  Geoengineering, essentially manipulating the environment to combat global warming, might be effective in reducing some of global warming’s effects; however, it brings with it a slew of issues that could adversely harm the environment and interfere with natural cycles and patterns.  Klein establishes herself well through evidence and real life examples and scenarios.  Yet she also uses many causal relationships to examine the multiple potential effects of geoengineering procedures through many differing lenses, such as environmental, political, diplomatic, and historical.  The variance in perspective gives power to her piece, a power that I think is intensified through Klein’s elegiac style.  She concludes a list of geoengineering’s possible ramifications by saying, “In the age of geoengineering, we might find ourselves confronting the end of miracles, too,” (2).  All of the consequences listed, and the negative words in which they are described give the article a negative, mournful air.  However, I feel this effectively reaches out to an audience of Americans Klein felt are “muted” towards geoengineering and its effects.  Overall, I think Klein established the gravity of our current environmental situation, thus fulfilling her purpose.