According to recent research published on the official White House website, the Biden administration is receptive to exploring methods of obstructing sunlight to combat climate change and safeguard the Earth.
As Congress mandated, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy issued a report on solar geoengineering. This report indicates that a specialized team has been investigating techniques to mitigate the sun’s rays and their contribution to global warming.
Unique Ways to fight climate change
The report emphasizes the need for further research due to the uncertainties surrounding the intricate Earth systems and our evolving comprehension of them. It highlights the importance of understanding these endeavors’ potential advantages and risks.
The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2022, which requested the development of a research governance framework for publicly funded solar geoengineering projects, motivated the creation of this report.
The report specifies that the Biden administration is exploring “stratospheric aerosol injection (SAI) and marine cloud brightening.” It also acknowledges ongoing research in “cirrus cloud thinning.” The document states that space-based approaches have received less attention as implementing “geoengineering” techniques is comparatively simpler and more feasible in the near term.
Understanding Solar Radiation Modification
Furthermore, the report clarifies that its primary focus is enhancing our understanding of the potential impacts of Solar Radiation Modification (SRM) rather than the technologies necessary for its implementation. This research contributes to our knowledge of fundamental climate processes and the effects of human greenhouse gas emissions, and our understanding of the outcomes associated with SRM.
The report concludes that a comprehensive research program exploring the scientific and societal implications of SRM would enable more informed decision-making regarding the risks and benefits of incorporating SRM into climate policy. It suggests that such a program would also prepare the United States for the potential deployment of SRM by other entities, whether public or private.
Lastly, the report mentions that SRM can potentially cool the planet within a few significant years.
