Redirecting Sunlight into Outer Space? | TechTree.com

Redirecting Sunlight into Outer Space?

It looks like the US government has a research plan that could set standards on counteracting climate change by playing with sunlight

 

Joe Biden's White House seems to be playing with fire. Quite literally too. If reports are to be believed, the administration has a research plan that could guide and set standards on solar geoengineering, which means reflecting sunlight back into the atmosphere among other things. 

A report published in the MIT Technology Review claims that the basic idea of deliberately tweaking the climate system has been questioned by many but this latest move, if taken to its conclusion, may set the state for more funding and research into the feasibility of geoengineering besides understanding the risks and rewards. 

What is it though?

Solar geoengineering comprises a range of different approaches though the one that hit the headlines is about using aircraft and balloons to disperse particles back into the stratosphere. In other words, they reflect sunlight back to outer space and are seen as a means to reduce global warming. Scientists argue that volcanic eruptions of the past did the same job. 

Another group of scientists had done some research on whether release of certain particles from the atmosphere could break up the cirrus clouds, which as we know is the culprit for trapping heat on the earth. However, if the White House plans materialize, more such efforts could be funded by federal grants. Not sure whether these need to be in the US or anywhere. 

What's it all about?

The MIT report says the 2022 federal appropriations act signed by President Biden last March has directed the Office of Science and Technology Policy to develop a cross-agency group that will coordinate such research on climate interventions. They will do so in collaboration with NASA, the NOAA and the US Department of Energy. 

The group will be tasked with providing a research framework to guide on matters such as transparency, engagement and risk management for publicly funded work in geoengineering research. It will also develop a five-year plan to define research goals, assess potential hazards of climate interventions and evaluate fund requirements in the years ahead. 

Why does it matter? 

Quite simply because geoengineering was a bad word even among the scientific community, not so long ago. The main concern is that the impact of such efforts could be felt unevenly in different parts of the world, which would necessitate a global governance model around climate change - one that the US hasn't really been keen to even acquiesce, let alone join.

However, given the climate change threats most countries are facing, with efforts at reducing emissions not generating adequate results, scientific groups believe that stricter standards around geoengineering and more funds to carry out global research is the only way out.  The proponents argue that cutting emissions must continue but new ideas must be explored.

They say that heat waves, droughts, famines, floods and unseasonal rains are becoming more common and severe and innovative climatic interventions alone can extend the life of the planet beyond a few lifetimes. 

 

solar, research, geoengineering


TAGS: Solar, Research, geoengineering

 
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