Climate Change: What Is Solar Radiation Management? | Weather ... - The Weather Channel
Climate Change: What Is Solar Radiation Management? | Weather.com
At a Glance
- Solar radiation management, or SRM, is just one type of potential climate engineering.
- Some experts worry that desperate nations might try it on their own.
- Last week, the United Nations Environmental Programme released a report calling for further study.
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Scientists around the world, including some affiliated with NASA and the United Nations, are calling for further study of the controversial idea of deflecting the sun's rays back into the atmosphere to cool temperatures on Earth and limit the worst impacts of climate change.
The concept is a form of geoengineering known as solar radiation management. Research into SRM is gaining more traction as our planet approaches what many consider a climate tipping point – temperatures more than 2 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than they were before the start of industrialization in the late 1800s.
Some experts worry that desperate nations might try it on their own before the process is fully vetted or deemed safe for both humans and the planet. Others think it could be a viable emergency measure in the event of catastrophic climate change impacts.
But there is near universal agreement that more research needs to be done. Here are some key points about SRM and climate change.
SRM is just one type of potential climate engineering.
The idea of SRM is to reflect the sun's energy away from Earth.
"If you’re picturing big mirrors being used to send that sunlight back to space, think again," weather.com meteorologist and atmospheric scientist Kait Parker explained.
The most often-cited process for doing this so far is Stratospheric Aerosol Injection, which involves shooting aerosol particles into clouds to make them more reflective.
In some ways, it's similar to what can happen in large volcanic eruptions.
Sulfur dioxide is what causes the yellowish-brown pollution seen in the air after a volcanic eruption. It's also hazardous to humans, plants and animals. When an eruption is big and strong enough to send massive amounts of it into the stratosphere, which starts about 6 miles above Earth, it turns into an aerosol that can disperse around the globe and reflect the sun's rays.
The 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines cooled global temperatures by nearly 1 degree over the next two years.
Air pollution plays a role.
Sulfur dioxide from other sources is a major component of fine particle pollution in the United States. The largest of those sources is the burning of fossil fuels by power plants and industrial facilities, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
"Air pollution in our atmosphere actually helps limit solar radiation that makes it to Earth’s surface by reflecting sunlight back out into space, somewhat limiting the amount that reaches Earth’s surface," Parker said. "But as nations clean up air quality, some scientists fear more of the sun’s rays will make it through our protective layers of [the] atmosphere."
The idea is extremely controversial.
“There are definitely a handful of proponents actively pushing for a normalization of solar geoengineering as a climate response option [and] a few serious scientists who are coming to this from a point of despair,” Lili Fuhr, deputy director of climate and energy at the Center for International Environmental Law, told the Guardian.
The long-term effects of such drastic measures aren't known.
Last week, the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) released a report calling for further study.
“Climate change is taking the world into unchartered lands, and the search is on for all viable solutions,” Andrea Hinwood, UNEP Chief Scientist, said in a news release. “However, all new technologies must be clearly understood, and potential risks or impacts identified before being put into use.
“The private sector and regulators need to address the basic uncertainties surrounding these technologies, answer some fundamental questions about safety and employ the precautionary principle before SRM can even be contemplated.”
A group of 60 scientists also recently wrote an open letter calling for deeper consideration.
"While we fully support research into SRM approaches, this does not mean we support the use of SRM. Uncertainties in how SRM implementation would play out in the climate system are presently too large to support implementation," the letter stated.
The UN report echoed those sentiments.
"The Expert Panel considers that near- and midterm large-scale SRM deployment is not warranted and would be unwise at this time," it says. "However, this view may change should climate action remain insufficient."
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