In an effort to “combat global warming,” the White House has said it is open to a radical plan that would prevent sunlight from reaching the Earth’s surface.
The White House proposed the idea of solar radiation modification (SRM) as a way to quickly cool the planet by reducing sunlight in a report made public on Friday. The report was created in response to a congressional directive, the administration noted, adding that no decisions regarding a “geoengineering” program have been taken.
The paper included a list of different approaches for achieving SRM but warned that each had the potential to backfire and have negative effects. One plan called for raising the amount of aerosol in the stratosphere to reflect sunlight away from Earth. Additional cloud cover over oceans or a decrease in cirrus cloud formations, which reflect solar radiation back onto the globe, were two alternatives.
The White House reaffirmed its commitment to addressing climate challenges in the report. “Climate change is already having profound effects on the physical and natural world, as well as on human well-being,” it was said in the report. As greenhouse gas concentrations grow and global warming continues, these effects will only become more pronounced. Understanding these effects is essential to making decisions about SRM’s potential contribution to reducing the negative effects of climate change.
The research warned that such a massive endeavour may seriously affect weather patterns, food supplies, biodiversity, geopolitics, and human health. The research also cautioned against the possibility of a sudden warming if the decision to use SRM were reversed and the sun’s rays quickly heated the Earth once more.
But according to the Biden administration’s assessment, SRM might be able to dramatically reduce global warming within a few years. The administration noted in a statement that accompanied the news, however, that at the moment, there are no plans to launch a thorough research program with an emphasis on solar radiation manipulation.
On the potential advantages of this dangerous strategy, scientists have varied opinions, with some expressing worry about the Earth’s atmosphere being severely altered. Others contend that if concerns about climate change come true in the upcoming decades, it might be used as a last resort.
The presence of the paper was emphasized by Shuchi Talati, executive director of the Alliance for Just Deliberation on Solar Geoengineering, who said, “The fact that this report even exists is probably the most consequential component of this release.”
Infrastructure and transportation are only two areas where climate policy has taken center stage under the Biden administration. This is a significant departure from Donald Trump, Biden’s predecessor, who famously called climate change a hoax.
