Plans amounting to £50 million to conduct geoengineering projects aimed at dimming sunlight in the United Kingdom are poised for approval in the coming weeks. These projects will be overseen by the Advanced Research and Invention Agency (Aria), a body that is positioning the UK as one of the leading global funders of geoengineering research.
The proposed outdoor experiments are part of an ongoing initiative to address the accelerating effects of climate change, which is contributing to rapid global warming. Aria’s programme director, Professor Mark Synes, detailed that the work will involve “small controlled outdoor experiments on particular approaches.” The core objective of these technologies is to reflect sunlight back into space, thereby temporarily halting the rise in temperatures.
Among the experimental techniques under consideration are the injection of aerosols into the atmosphere and the brightening of clouds to increase their reflectivity. One specific method, Stratospheric Aerosol Injection, involves releasing minute particles into the stratosphere via airplanes. These particles would then refract sunlight away from Earth.
This announcement follows the National Environment Research Council’s (NERC) declaration on 3 April that it will be investing £10 million in new funding to study solar radiation management schemes (SRM). Professor Synes shared, “We will be announcing who we have given funding to in a few weeks and when we do so we will be making clear when any outdoor experiments might be taking place.”
He emphasised the importance of acquiring physical data from real-world experiments, stating, “One of the missing pieces in this debate was physical data from the real world. Models can only tell us so much.”
Highlighting safety and responsibility, Professor Synes assured, “Everything we do is going to be safe by design. We’re absolutely committed to responsible research, including responsible outdoor research.” He further mentioned that there will be stringent controls regarding the duration of experiments and their reversibility, adding, “We won’t be funding the release of any toxic substances to the environment.”
The timing of these initiatives comes amid growing climate concerns. The year 2024 recorded the highest temperatures on record, with average global temperatures exceeding 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. Additionally, January 2024 was the warmest January recorded, with global temperatures reaching an average of 13.23°C.
Source: Noah Wire Services