Futuristic sun-reflecting technology could be effective at cooling the planet, says the United Kingdom’s top science academy in a new report. But it’s risky business — and not a substitute for reducing climate-warming greenhouse gas emissions.
Published Wednesday by the Royal Society, the report summarizes the current knowledge on solar radiation modification, a form of geoengineering that proposes to lower Earth’s temperatures by beaming sunlight away from the planet. The technology is still largely hypothetical, but interest in the subject is growing as global temperatures rise.
The report takes a largely academic approach to the topic, delving into possible technological methods, potential risks and questions about international cooperation and governance. But it stops short of making recommendations on some of today’s most controversial subjects — like whether, and under what conditions, world leaders should allow scientists to conduct outdoor experiments to study the technology.
That’s a growing global debate as research groups around the world forge ahead with geoengineering field trials, including in the U.K. The British government’s Advanced Research and Invention Agency announced in May that it would invest a total of about £57 million ($75 million) in 21 climate-cooling research projects, including five that call for outdoor experiments.
