【明報專訊】◆評論一

Some scientists and water resource managers are wary because they believe that weather modification research conducted thus far shows inconclusive (不確定的) results...

Others are wary of weather modification because it goes against the grain of a certain ecological ethic. It represents an interference with a natural process, with results possibly difficult to predict and control. Man as geologic force built dams and controlled the course of powerful rivers, upsetting along the way ecological balances and causing environmental harm. What then might man as an atmospheric force accomplish?

Some advocates claim that by failing to take a leadership role in weather modification, the federal government (聯邦政府) is partly responsible for its lack of recognition. For example, they point out that the federal government has not defined a national weather modification policy. Such a policy arguably might help interpret the societal benefits of weather modification and its role in promoting the national interest (國家利益)...

Others remain fully convinced that weather modification holds great promise to augment water resources. They believe its premise is sound and scientific findings promising. They believe its potential will be realised with more research and the eventual application of cloud seeding (人工降雨中雲的催化) activities...

——Joe Gelt. "Weather Modification: A Water Resource Strategy to be Researched, Tested Before Tried". Water Resources Research Centre, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, the University of Arizona. 1992.

◆評論二

Weather and climate affect human activities in pervasive ways. For example, the profitability of many economic activities depends very much on the weather and climate, obvious examples being agriculture (農業) and air transportation...Little thought, however, has gone into some of the fundamental questions regarding such modification. For example, while the basic scientific question may well be "can you modify the weather", a more fundamental question is "should you do so", "where should you do so", and "what safeguards (預防措施) are there either in the form of laws or compensation payments to provide for the 'errors' which may occur"?...

——W.J. Maunder. The Human Impact of Climate Uncertainty: Weather Information, Economic Planning and Business Management. 1989.

◆評論三

Silver iodide (碘化銀) is the primary component of the complexes (複合物) used in cloud seeding... The published scientific literature (文獻) clearly shows no environmentally harmful effects arising from cloud seeding with silver iodide aerosols (噴劑) have been observed, nor would they be expected to occur. Based on this work, the Weather Modification Association finds that silver iodide is environmentally safe as it is currently being dispensed during cloud seeding programmes...

——The Weather Modification Association. "Weather Modification Association Position Statement on the Environmental Impact of Using Silver Iodide as a Cloud Seeding Agent". 2009.07

■做一做

就以上資料，整理人工干預天氣對社會、政治及環境的影響，並填寫下表﹕（請看附表）

■想一想

1. 試討論一個國家決定以人工干預天氣時，可能會遇到的阻力。

2. 如果你是莫斯科市長，你會如何以以上資料說服人民實施人工消雪？

3. 你認為各地政府及國際機構（如聯合國）應否立法規管人工干預天氣？解釋你的答案。

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