Tag

Solar Geoengineering

All articles tagged with #solar geoengineering

science1 day ago•4 min saved

Sun-dimming proposal eyed to blunt looming super El Niño

UC San Diego researchers propose using marine cloud brightening—injecting aerosols into the stratosphere to brighten clouds and reflect sunlight—as a targeted geoengineering tool to mitigate extreme El Niño effects. Their simulations suggest this could boost cooling and drying by about 40% during major El Niño events, but the idea is controversial, unproven, and would require ongoing deployment; critics caution it could have unintended side effects and argue emissions reduction remains essential.

via New York Post|

#climate-change #el-nino #geoengineering

science22 days ago•8 min saved

Geoengineering’s Risky Edge: Scientists warn of termination shock and governance gaps

Four climate scientists warn that solar geoengineering could trigger termination shock, creating a long‑term, potentially irreversible dependence on ongoing deployment with uncertain climate effects; they criticize funding that prioritizes technology over rigorous science and governance, note COP talks’ tensions, and urge robust modeling and global governance before any field trials while emphasizing the need to cut fossil fuels rather than rely on unproven fixes.

via CleanTechnica|

#climate-governance #cop31 #geoengineering

climate-policy2 months ago•8 min saved

Private startup outs a plan to shade the planet with silica aerosols

A private startup, Stardust Solutions, publicly details its plan to cool the Earth by dispersing sunlight-reflecting amorphous silica particles high in the atmosphere, sharing six studies ahead of peer review. The company envisions two particle designs and systems to disperse and monitor them, aiming for possible deployment by 2035 with projected revenue around $1.5 billion, after raising about $75 million. While framed as a scientifically rigorous approach, critics warn that solar geoengineering does not address fossil-fuel driving warming and raise concerns about self-governance and international oversight as the technology moves toward potential use.

via Politico|

#climate-change #climate-policy #geoengineering

environment6 months ago•5 min saved

Safe Methods to Reflect Sunlight and Protect Earth

The article discusses the potential of stratospheric aerosol injection (SAI) as a climate intervention to reflect sunlight and reduce global warming, emphasizing the importance of careful, phased research to understand its safety and effectiveness before any deployment, and advocating for open scientific investigation to inform responsible decision-making.

via The Guardian|

#climate-change #climate-research #environment

science8 months ago•4 min saved

Scientists Warn Against Risky and Impractical Sun-Reducing Climate Fixes

Scientists warn that 'dimming the sun' through stratospheric aerosol injections is unsafe, impractical, and carries unpredictable risks due to logistical, material, and geopolitical challenges, making it an unreliable climate change mitigation strategy.

via ScienceAlert|

#climate-change-mitigation #geoengineering-risks #global-governance

science-and-environment11 months ago•17 min saved

Researchers Secretly Prepare to Dim Sunlight in Major Test

Researchers in California planned a large-scale solar geoengineering test to dim sunlight without public notification, raising concerns about transparency and community engagement, especially after a smaller experiment was abruptly halted due to local backlash and lack of communication with authorities.

via Politico|

#climate-change #geoengineering-experiments #marine-cloud-brightening

science11 months ago•16 min saved

Researchers Plan Secret Sunlight Dimming Test to Prevent Public Alarm

Researchers in California planned a large-scale, secretive experiment to test solar geoengineering techniques like cloud brightening to potentially dim sunlight and combat climate change, but faced public backlash and regulatory hurdles after initial small-scale tests were conducted without community engagement or transparency.

via Yahoo Home|

#climate-change #cloud-brightening #public-engagement

science1 year ago•1 min saved

EU Scientists Call for Ban on Solar Geoengineering

Scientific advisers to the European Commission have recommended a moratorium on solar geoengineering efforts across the EU, citing insufficient evidence and potential risks. These technologies, which aim to cool the Earth by reflecting sunlight, have faced criticism despite their potential to combat climate change. The European Commission's advisory groups have expressed concerns over the high levels of uncertainty and possible harmful effects, advocating against large-scale experimentation and deployment.

via Slashdot|

#climate-change #european-commission #moratorium

climate2 years ago•2 min saved

"Unveiling the Potential of Clouds in Mitigating Global Warming through Solar Geoengineering"

Scientists conducted the first outdoor test in the United States of technology designed to brighten clouds and reflect some of the sun's rays back into space as a way to temporarily cool the overheating planet. The goal is to hold global warming to a relatively safe level, but as carbon dioxide emissions continue to rise, the idea of deliberately intervening in climate systems is becoming more realistic. If successful, the next stage would involve attempting to change the composition of clouds above the Earth's oceans.

via The New York Times|

#climate #climate-change #climate-intervention

science2 years ago•8 min saved

"Cloud Dissipation and Eclipse Forecast for 2024 Solar Eclipse Viewing"

During a solar eclipse, shallow cumulus clouds dissipate due to the moon's shadow blocking sunlight, preventing warm air from rising and forming clouds, with implications for solar geoengineering. The phenomenon was studied using satellite data during eclipses over Africa, revealing the clouds' high sensitivity to eclipse-induced cooling. This has implications for understanding cloud behavior and climate impact, as well as potential consequences for solar geoengineering techniques.

via CNN|

#climate #clouds #research

environment-climate-change2 years ago•3 min saved

"UN Stalls Sun-Blocking Climate Change Tech Over Safety Concerns"

The United Nations Environment Assembly failed to reach an agreement on solar geoengineering, leaving a de facto moratorium in place. The debate centers around the potential risks and uncertainties of launching particles into the sky to reflect sunlight and cool the planet. While some advocate for research into unconventional methods to combat climate change, others warn of unforeseen consequences and the need to address the root cause of greenhouse gas emissions. With no international rules to stop rogue experiments, the debate continues on whether to establish an expert panel to study the risks and opportunities of solar geoengineering.

via The Verge|

#climate-change #environment-climate-change #environmental-policy

climate-change3 years ago•3 min saved

EU Takes Action Against Climate Geoengineering and Calls for Global Cooperation

The European Union is calling for international talks on how to govern geoengineering, a deliberate alteration of the Earth's atmosphere, as part of its plans to address security risks posed by climate change. Geoengineering technologies, such as solar geoengineering, aim to cool the planet by manipulating its ability to reflect sunlight. However, the risks and unintended consequences of these technologies are poorly understood, and without proper rules and oversight, they could pose new risks to people, ecosystems, and international relations. The EU is advocating for new international guidelines to prevent rogue actors from conducting unregulated experiments that could have global implications.

via The Verge|

#climate-change #climate-security #eu

environment3 years ago•1 min saved

Exploring Solar Geoengineering's Potential to Combat Climate Change.

Solar geoengineering, a technology that reflects sunlight to cool the planet, is being considered as a way to adapt to the current climate change crisis. However, it would require massive intervention in the planet's climate and has both pros and cons. The technology mimics the effect of volcanic eruptions that cover the stratosphere with ash, reflecting sunlight and cooling the planet.

via Vox.com|

#adaptation #climate-change #environment

environment3 years ago•4 min saved

Billionaire Interest in Solar Geoengineering Divides Climate Scientists

Billionaires including Bill Gates, George Soros, and Facebook co-founder Dustin Moskovitz have expressed interest in "solar geoengineering," a controversial idea that involves cooling the Earth by reflecting sunlight back into space. While there are growing calls to accelerate research into solar radiation management (SRM), hundreds of climate scientists are firmly against it, warning that the increasing normalization of SRM technologies as a possible climate fix could have dangerous and unexpected consequences. The United Nations Environment Program has confirmed that SRM is not yet ready for large-scale deployment and highlighted that there is no substitute for an urgent and massive reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, "which must remain the global priority."

via CNBC|

#billionaires #climate-change #environment

climate-science3 years ago•4 min saved

David Keith to lead Climate Systems Engineering at University of Chicago.

David Keith, a renowned scientist, has joined the University of Chicago to lead a new Climate Systems Engineering initiative, which will explore multiple strategies to reflect sunlight away from Earth, remove carbon from the atmosphere, and protect glaciers. The initiative will require novel materials, high-powered computing, and trailblazing chemical and engineering strategies. Keith plans to partner with researchers at Argonne National Laboratory and supercomputing facilities. The aim of the initiative is to support new faculty with diverse expertise as well as current scholars at UChicago and beyond who are working to understand the interwoven technical and social challenges posed by solar geoengineering and carbon removal.

via UChicago News|

#carbon-removal #climate-science #climate-systems-engineering