Human activity continues to exacerbate global warming, especially by burning fossil fuels for energy. SliverLining, a non-profit organization, will be funding researchers for solar climate intervention under the Safe Climate Research Initiative.
The organization's goal "is to prevent human suffering and sustain natural systems" from irreversible damage caused by global warming. For years, SilverLining has worked alongside researchers, policymakers, philanthropists, and volunteers.
The current trends of global warming have resulted in wildfires, floods, drought, severe tropical storms, habitat loss, ocean acidification, and many more negative consequences. Despite new eco-friendly solutions, we are not cutting greenhouse gas emissions fast enough for the Earth to heal.
Artificial Cooling
One proposed solution is to artificially cool the planet for humanity to have more time to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Solar climate intervention, also known as solar geoengineering, means to reflect the sun's energy back into space. It is similar to ash clouds cooling the temperature after a volcanic eruption.
Michael Gerrard from Columbia Law School said that climate change is an existential threat and it is time to consider all of the options. "I liken geoengineering to chemotherapy for the planet: If all else is failing, you try it."
Universities involved in SilverLining's new initiative include Cornell University, Colorado State University, the University of Washington, and Rutgers University. Alongside the National Center for Atmospheric Research and the Solar Radiation Management Governance Initiative, the researchers will focus on problems such as how to inject aerosols into the atmosphere and how these clouds may affect food crops.
However, some environmentalists are against solar geoengineering because it means that the clouds would come from the continuous burning of fossil fuels. It remains uncertain what the possible consequences may be if greenhouse gases continue to be released at current trends even with clouds artificially cooling the Earth.
Read Also : The World Meteorological Organization Reports the Consequences of Anthropogenic Climate Change
Other Methods of Solar Geoengineering
Decarbonizing may take at least 20 years or more, said Chris Sacca from Lowcarbon Capital, one of SilverLining's investors. Exploring interventions such as sunlight reflection may save many lives, species, and ecosystems from global warming, he said.
Dr. Douglass MacMartin from Cornell University said that they know they can cool the planet with 100% certainty. However, there are numerous consequences to consider such as its effect on the strength of hurricanes, agricultural yields, and forest fires.
MacMartin's team will be creating models to predict how injecting aerosols in the upper atmosphere will affect the weather above different parts of the world. For example, the models can display how the clouds affect monsoons in Asia compared to Arctic sea ice.
Meanwhile, the Australian government has also started its own research into another method of geoengineering called marine cloud brightening. Clouds are more reflective when saltwater is sprayed in the air. The salt particles in the clouds enable it to form many droplets, making the clouds brighter. Researchers are hoping to preserve the Great Barrier Reef, which has been devastated by mass coral bleaching due to warmer temperatures.
Read Also: Viruses and Bacteria Can Infect Corals and Trigger Bleaching
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