103: The critical left & carbon removal—with Dr. Holly Jean Buck of UCLA

Most leftist political views of the climate crisis lean toward natural solutions like reforestation and regenerative ag. But if we’re serious about taking action at the necessary scale before it’s too late, Dr. Holly Jean Buck argues that we have to consider ALL available solutions, including carbon capture technology and geoengineering. She comes at the issue from the Critical Left, advocating for the thoughtful use of industrial tech to reverse climate change.

 

Dr. Buck is a postdoctoral research fellow at UCLA’s Institute of the Environment and Sustainability and the author of After Geoengineering: Climate Tragedy, Repair and Restoration. On this episode of Reversing Climate Change, Dr. Buck joins Ross to discuss how her take on climate solutions differs from traditional left-leaning views, explaining the aspects of geoengineering that should be in the hands of the people and the risks associated with Nori’s premise of treating carbon as a commodity.

 

Dr. Buck weighs in on why people are skeptical of industrial solutions to climate change and why she believes state involvement is key in removing carbon at scale. Listen in for insight into the pros and cons of policy solutions to climate change and learn why the Critical Left needs to take carbon capture technology seriously.

 

Key Takeaways

 

[3:12] What inspired Dr. Buck to write After Geoengineering

Present choices for removing large amounts of carbon Seat at table re: how we use tech should be deployed

 

[4:46] What aspects of geoengineering should be in the hands of the people

Physical ownership of assets, infrastructure (including land) Financial flows Algorithms/information used to make decisions

 

[8:18] The risks around treating carbon as a commodity

Must consider who’s producing and who’s buying Danger of minimizing other things that matter

 

[10:57] How Dr. Buck thinks about the buyer’s side of a carbon market

Private jet for pleasure vs. wind turbine industry State involvement to allocate determine quotas

 

[15:26] Why people aren’t talking about radical solutions

Uncanny fear of tampering with nature via nuclear power Little research on effects of solar radiation management

 

[19:20] Why Dr. Buck is skeptical of fossil fuel companies leading drawdown

Use environmental organizations for incentives Support shareholders over environmental protection Need plan for phasing out fossil fuels worldwide

 

[28:08] Why people are suspicious of industrial climate solutions

Allows industries that harmed people to continue Gives control of resources to unknown big actors  Fear of unintended consequences of technology

 

[37:54] The pros and cons policy solutions to climate change

Makes VC investment in carbon removal tech possible Difficult to pass or change (market approach nimble)

 

[40:46] How Dr. Buck thinks about the mission of Nori

See as platform vs. market, bring buyers + sellers together Would rather see government solution but Nori not threat

 

[45:16] A Critical Left take on Nori

Opposed to treating carbon as commodity Pro open-source logic

 

[49:12] Dr. Buck’s insight around reasonable criticisms of her work

Too optimistic to believe in responsible solar geoengineering research Discussing strategies like solar geoengineering legitimizes tactic Carbon removal enables business as usual (same old offsets) No cause for optimism that radical social reorganization possible

 

[51:34] Why the Critical Left should take industrial solutions seriously

Moral obligation to use available tech to reduce harm Involves geological sequestration + clean energy Scale requires government to play central role in progress Closing window of opportunity to shape tech as evolves

 

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Resources

 

VERGE 19

After Geoengineering: Climate Tragedy, Repair, and Restoration by Holly Jean Buck

Reversapalooza

Dr. Buck’s Article in Jacobin 

Water Markets on RCC EP096

Ted Nordhaus on RCC EP098 

‘The Empty Radicalism of the Climate Apocalypse’ by Ted Nordhaus

45Q Legislation

Green New Deal

Jeremy Corbyn

The Uninhabitable Earth: Life After Warming by David Wallace-Wells

Climate Wars: What People Will Be Killed for in the 21st Century by Harald Welzer

Sunrise Movement

Extinction Rebellion

Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming edited by Paul Hawken

Winners Take All: The Elite Charade of Changing the World by Anand Giridharadas

The Fable of the Bees

Books by Adam Greenfield

Granular

Radical Markets by Eric A. Posner & E. Glen Weyl

David Harvey

Books by David Graeber