Two years ago, on this day, September 20th, 2023,
Billionaire investor Chris Sacca yesterday said that spraying particles into the Earth’s atmosphere to reflect the sun’s rays and slow global warming may now be the only way to save humanity.
Why it matters: The Lowercarbon Capital founder has helped turn a fringe idea into one now attracting serious attention.
Driving the news: “We have no opportunity for survival on this planet unless you reflect back sunlight,” Sacca said at a summit in New York City organized by venture capital firm Equal Ventures.
“If we don’t do it as a species, it’s all over.”
The amount of carbon dioxide in the air was 421ppm. As of 2025, when this post was published, it is 430ppm. This matters because the more carbon dioxide in the air, the more heat gets trapped. The more heat, the more extreme weather events. You can make it more complicated than that if you want, but really, itâs not. Fwiw, I have a tattoo of the Keeling Curve on my left forearm.
The broader context was the rich have always loved geo-engineering, because it sidelines questions of justice (it doesnât really, but in the short term it does) and appeals to their messiah/god complexes.
The specific context was that the COP process was obviously dead (again) and the âwell, letâs Hail Maryâ this was in the air.
What I think we can learn from this is that rich people are not necessarily smarter than anyone else. May even become dumber by the time theyâve surrounded themselves with sycophants, if they werenât at the start.
What happened next – the geo-engineering debate bubbles on, much like the methane in the clathrates.
What do you think? Does this pass the âso what?â threshold? Have I got facts wrong? Interpretation wrong? Please do comment on this post, unless you are a denialist, obvs.
Also on this day:
September 20, 1848 – the AAAS is born⌠– All Our Yesterdays
September 20, 1893 â first American-made gasoline-powered car hits the road.
September 20, 1982 – âCarbon Dioxide, Science and Consensusâ event – All Our Yesterdays