geoengineering important for other reasons (Score 1)

Human population exploded during a relatively benign period in earth's geologic history (19th and 20th centuries). Natural climate variation is usually not so gentle. What that means is, we have hundreds of millions of people living in places that will be destroyed, basically. Even New York City has had a catastrophic hurricane/storm surge strike almost once per century. Geoengineering could be used not only for global warming, but averting regional catastrophes like hurricane Katrina. I say, for now, simulate, simulate, simulate. Develop the means to divert solar radiation in a small region for example, that could be used to divert a hurricane or dampen its energy. This capability would be a prelude to reflecting the solar radiation that the polar ice SHOULD be reflecting (but since it has shrunk, is not, even acknowledging the last two years of colder temperatures). Develop an emergency plan, using existing resources to start. Btw, do people in America realize that the pine beetle infestation in British Columbia (and the Katmai Peninsula in Alaska), a symptom of the higher temperatures up there, means that 75% of the red pine up there will be dead by 2020? Can you imagine the firestorms that will result? The "let nature take its course" argument is moot, there are too many people and too much wealth in every corner of the globe to let disaster happen.