A major environmental group has decided to invest millions of dollars in research into solar geoengineering, a proposal to combat climate change that has sparked skepticism and fears about unintended consequences.
Solar geoengineering includes a number of tactics to cool the planet reflecting sunlight, such asartificial cloud lighting or therelease of reflective particles into the atmosphere. However, experiments isolates have raised concerns because scientists are not yet fully aware of the side effects that may result. This has led to the need for more research to fill these knowledge gaps before proceeding with further experiments.
L’Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) announced it will distribute “millions of dollars” in grants for solar geoengineering research. The EDF shares concerns about solar geoengineering, which is why it is supporting studies into any impacts it may have. Lisa Dilling, deputy science director at the EDF, said they are “very concerned about unintended consequences” and are focusing on policy-relevant research that will help governments make informed decisions.
The importance of science-based policies
EDF has not revealed the exact amount it will invest in solar geoengineering studies, nor who the financiers of this initiative are. However, the New York Times listed the LAD Climate Fund as one of the donors. Next steps include working with scientists to develop a research agenda with a near-term focus on impacts and creating a governance structure.
Recently, heated debates occurred at the United Nations Environment Assembly without succeeding in establishing new international guidelines for solar geoengineering. Since 2010, there has been a global moratorium on some types of large-scale geoengineering, but the language is vague, excluding small-scale experiments that have been carried out in recent years.
For example, last week Alameda, California, voted against testing a new technology for spraying sea salt particles, part of a strategy called Marine Cloud Brightening (MCB) to make the clouds more reflective. More than 30 scientists have published a paper proposing a research roadmap for MCB, but the information policymakers need to decide if and when it should be employed is still lacking.
Meanwhile, a less scientific experiment sparked backlash last year, when a startup launched weather balloons filled with sulfur dioxide into Mexican territory, leading Mexico to ban future such experiments.
Experts’ concerns about solar geoengineering
Sulfur dioxide is a pollutant that can cause acid rain, and the injection of stratospheric aerosols could widen the Antarctic ozone hole. These are just some of the reasons why experts are concerned about solar geoengineering without a better understanding of the potential negative effects.
Ultimately, environmentalists they want make sure the geoengineering solar power does not distract efforts for the transition towards cleaner energy, which remains the only real solution to tackle climate change.
What do you think? Is solar geoengineering a promising or risky solution to climate change?
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