Catherine Murupaenga-Ikenn. Photo / File
On March 24 the Guardian officially confirmed that geoengineering (also known as weather modification) scientists are soon to deploy in our atmosphere "the world's biggest solar geoengineering programme to date".
A few points to note that people should be super disturbed about:
1) This isn't in the realm of conspiracy theorist chemtrail/contrail rhetoric: this is scientific research (so arguably now, those chemtrail so-called 'conspiracy theorists' are vindicated).
2) The 10th United Nations Conference of Parties meeting to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) held 2010 in Japan, called on all Governments to:
"Ensure ... in the absence of science-based, global, transparent and effective control and regulatory mechanisms for geo-engineering, and in accordance with the precautionary approach and Article 14 of the Convention, that no climate-related geo-engineering activities that may affect biodiversity take place, until there is an adequate scientific basis on which to justify such activities and appropriate consideration of the associated risks for the environment and biodiversity and associated social, economic and cultural impacts ..."
So how are Governments allowing this to happen?
3) The statement that this is the world's biggest such programme "to date" tells us that this activity has been happening (whether officially, or unofficially) for some time. Just how long is debatable, but bear in mind that the powers that claim to be will have had to have been preparing for this (including conducting other experiments in our skies) for a significant period - these sorts of projects don't just come together overnight. Especially if they're morally questionable and potentially unjustifiable - which (in terms of harmful effects to our natural life-support systems) the UN warns is very likely.
4) The Guardian article explains that this geoengineering programme is "to study the potential of a future tech-fix for global warming". So, assuming this activity has been conducted for some time, the next question is what effect has geoengineering already had on our climate, and has that been factored into climate crisis modelling? Because, if not, our climate forecasts could be way off base, putting a question mark on whether our mitigation and adaptation efforts are actually on, or off, target.
5) And, finally, citizens concerned about geoengineering risks have for years called on our NZ environmental authorities to investigate. Their response? To stubbornly continue to deny geoengineering exists anywhere on the planet, despite admitting they've not even investigated the matter. How insane can you get?
This kind of bureaucratic, arrogant, wilful, blindness seriously undermines public trust - not just in the very authorities meant to be protecting public health and our environment, but our Government itself. It's an alarming indicator of a slippery slope to profound failure of national governance which socio and geo-political commentators like the World Economic Forum have warned about.
I would urge citizens these elections to start demanding answers from your elected representatives, and all party candidates.
Catherine Murupaenga-Ikenn lives in Ahipara and is a former United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights Indigenous Fellow (2005)