Solar Geoengineering Sparks Controversy in Hopes to Cool the Planet

When most people think of solutions to climate change, they think of a change in human activity. However, researchers have come up with a reformed solution instead. If you don't know what to talk about on a first date, try mentioning Global Warming, it's a huge icebreaker (Global Warming Jokes).

Solar geoengineering, otherwise known as solar radiation management, is defined as an umbrella term consisting of methods that make the atmosphere cooler artificially through deflection of solar radiation. However, such methods remain controversial. 

Last year, some of the very first evidence of success in solar geoengineering was done by technological entrepreneurs, Luke Iseman and Andrew Song. They achieved this by igniting a set of reflective sulfur dioxide particles to deflect solar radiation, moving it towards space rather than the earth, using just two water balloons. Although such a stunt triggered mass criticism, it ignited a spark to uncover the essence of solar geoengineering.

To achieve the intended purpose of cooling the planet, researchers have confirmed that there are two main methods to do so, consisting of stratospheric aerosol injection (SAI) and Marine Cloud Brightening (MCB). SAI, as the name suggests, consists of injecting aerosol (microscopic, sunlight-reflective particles) into the stratosphere. Researchers claim that ideally, airplanes would most likely be inputting such particles. As long as they remain in the atmosphere, they will continuously reflect sunlight leading to cooling. This method of geoengineering is meant to simulate particle-interaction with the atmosphere post-large-volcanic eruptions, which causes a similar effect. Another way is MCB, which consists of simulating the formation of clouds using sea salt in order to reflect sunlight. Ships would ideally by the carrier of such sea salt would need to be sprayed in low-lying marine clouds with the intention to increase cooling at a more regional scale, unlike SAI which impacts a more global scale. 

However, such methods remain under scrutiny as they could cause irreversible global impacts including a mass change in weather patterns as well as ethical and economic risks. Critics claim that it gives an excuse to reject a less carbon-heavy economic system. Even though it is neglecting the root cause, it offers an alternate solution that is independent from the effects that human activity brings which could potentially make it reliable after sufficient research is done. As of now, initiatives to conduct extensive research to discover the boundaries of solar geoengineering are in place, such as being able to experiment in places like Australia's Barrier Reef and other remote places. Results from such experiments will give a better picture of the success of solar geoengineering in hopes to address climate change. 

Works Cited

“Could Solar Geoengineering Cool the Planet? U.S. Gets Serious about Finding Out.” Science, 

“Global Warming Jokes.” The 80+ Best Global Warming Jokes - ↑UPJOKE↑, https://upjoke.com/global-warming-jokes

https://www.science.org/content/article/could-solar-geoengineering-cool-planet-u-s-gets-serious-about-finding-out. . 

“What Is Solar Geoengineering?” Union of Concerned Scientists, https://www.ucsusa.org/resources/what-solar-geoengineering#:~:text=Solar%20geoengineering%20refers%20to%20proposed,marine%20cloud%20brightening%20(MCB). 

"What is Solar Geoengneering" Solar Geoengineering Non-Use Agreement, https://www.solargeoeng.org/what-is-solar-geoengineering/