The White House has opened the door to a bold plan to block sunlight from reaching the Earth’s surface in a bid to halt global warming.
Though some scientists have warned that the effort could have myriad side effects by altering the chemistry of the atmosphere, President Joe Biden has indicated he’s open to the idea.
In a report released by the White House on Friday, officials suggested limiting sunlight to rapidly cool the planet, a process known as solar radiation modification (SRM).
The administration added some skepticism to the report, noting that Congress ordered it and insisting it had not yet made a decision on “geoengineering” policy.
President Biden has opened the door to a bold “geoengineering” plan
The report identifies various ways in which authorities could achieve SRM. All of these opportunities could have devastating consequences if they backfire.
One method would be to significantly increase the amount of aerosols in the stratosphere that would reflect the planet’s sun’s rays.
Other ideas included increasing cloud cover over the oceans or reducing the amount of cirrus cloud formations that reflect solar radiation back to Earth.
The report pointed out that accomplishing the mammoth task could have serious implications for weather patterns and food supplies, which in turn would have implications for biodiversity, geopolitics and health.
It also suggested that embracing the idea and then backing out and changing course could result in abrupt warming.
The Biden administration, while saying in its report that it would not finalize the plan, insisted that the idea was promising.
It said a “program to research this practice” would enable “better-informed decisions about the potential risks and benefits” of blocking the sun.
The White House added that exploring the idea would also allow for a better understanding of “the fundamental elements of greenhouse gas mitigation and adaptation.”
“SRM offers the opportunity to significantly cool the planet within a few years,” the report said.
While the White House indicated there could be merits to the idea, it insisted it has not yet made a firm decision on going ahead with the risky plan
While some scientists think the plan could be used as a last resort to combat climate change, others warn it could have catastrophic consequences for the atmosphere
In a statement accompanying the report, the government said: “There are no plans to set up a comprehensive research program focused on changing solar radiation.”
Scientists are divided over the potential benefits of the risky plan, and some warn it could lead to catastrophic changes in Earth’s atmosphere.
However, others claim it could be used as a last resort if fears of climate change materialize in the years and decades to come.
“The fact that this report exists at all is probably the most momentous part of this release,” Shuchi Talati, executive director of the Alliance for Just Deliberation on Solar Geoengineering, told Politico.
“This report also signals that the US government supports well-organized research, including outdoor experiments, which I think is quite significant.”
The Biden administration has made climate action one of its key policy platforms in recent years, integrating the issue with other sectors, including infrastructure and transport.
This was a significant policy change compared to Biden’s predecessor, Donald Trump, who once called climate change a Chinese hoax.
In its report, the White House reiterated its commitment to addressing climate issues.
“Climate change is already having profound impacts on the physical and natural world and on human well-being, and these impacts will only increase as greenhouse gas concentrations increase and warming continues,” the report says.
“Understanding these impacts is critical to enable informed decisions about a potential role for SRM in addressing human hardships related to climate change.”