The British government is ready To approve Passing – and controversial – experiments in solar -geo -engineering, a method designed to combat global warming by artificial dimming of sunlight.
The £ 50 million ($ 66.5 million) program, led by the UK’s Advanced Research and Invention Agency (Aria), could start within a few weeks, which means that one of the first efforts supported by the State to test solar radiation management (SRM).
With scientists who warn about the irreversible climate “tilting points” – such as the collapse of ocean currents and polar ice -sheets – Geo -Engineering offers a potential stop gap.
SRM works by injecting aeros roll particles into the atmosphere to reflect sunlight back in space and cloud clouds to improve their reflectivity. Proponents claim that this could cool the planet, so that critical time is purchased to reduce carbon emissions.
But the plan is loaded with controversy. Critics warn of unpredictable side effects, including disturbances of global rain patterns that can destroy agriculture.
Others fear that it distracts from the real solution: termination of dependence on fossil fuels. For example, the private jet of a single billionaire emits “207 years in pollution in just 12 months” – with which SRM can mask untenable habits.
Dr. Pete Irvine at the University of Chicago emphasizes: “It is worth emphasizing that geo -engineering is not a replacement for emissions -cuts.” Although SRM could slow the warming up, it does not respond to the cause of the head.
In the meantime, the rising energy – partly powered by AI extension – demand the emission reductions even more difficult. The carbon neutrality of China, for example, is compensated by the global power consumption that hits record highs.
If approved, the British experiments would be one of the first SRM tests supported by the government. But geo -engineering raises ethical questions: who arranges the thermostat of the earth? Could geopolitics cause conflict if weather patterns shift unpredictably? And could it cause a moral danger, so that polluters can slow the carbon?
Despite risks, Aria’s program is aimed at collecting critical data about the feasibility of SRM. The world is looking forward – the success can stimulate international adoption.
