Europe should block space mirrors, bleaching clouds and other instruments proven to reflect the sun’s rays, the European Commission’s scientific advisors. he warnedbut he said that the door should be opened to the investigation of his progress.
Scientists said the risks and benefits of solar radiation modification (SRM) – also known as solar geoengineering – were “highly uncertain”. They called for an EU-wide moratorium on using it as a way to offset global warming.
SRM technologies can cool the planet by reducing the amount of sunlight hitting the Earth. Proponents say they’re aiming to keep global temperatures afloat closer to the 1.5C (2.7F) limit above preindustrial levels that world leaders have pledged to stick to.
Critics argue that geoengineering doesn’t address the root problem of capturing the hot pollutants that suffocate the Earth – and that they only work for a limited time while they’re in use, and the warning also destroys the weather.
“Although some of these proposals could address the signs of climate change, they did not address the cause,” said Barbara Prainsack, chair of the European Society for Ethics in Science and New Technologies. “They can provide solutions to efforts that are already under way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to climate change.”
Monday’s report, by the European Commission’s Group of Chief Scientific Officers, found that the “profound uncertainties” of solar geoengineering are at odds with the EU’s principle of caution and its responsibility to do no harm. The group’s top recommendation was to cut greenhouse gas pollution as the main way to avoid “dangerous” levels of climate change.
But he also called for the EU to negotiate a global system to regulate the future use of SRM – with a moratorium on its use “for the foreseeable future” – and to ensure that research into it was rigorous, responsible and ethical. It is recommended to ensure that public funds do not take away money spent on cutting greenhouse gas pollution and adapting to a warmer planet.
Aarti Gupta, professor of global environmental governance at Wageningen University, who was part of the team that produced the underlying report on which the scientists based their decision, said it was “crucially important” that the EU called for a moratorium on SRM and that they engage in their own research. “Most importantly, the EU must now demonstrate global leadership in pushing for an international regime of ‘non-deployment’ SRM.”
Governments do not agree on how the United Nations SRM in a . they were moderated meeting at Nairobi in February. Switzerland had sent panels of experts to investigate the site, but African nations demanded a ban, and Switzerland withdrew its proposal in response to the lack of studies.
The perspective of the research topic has also divided scientists as well as governments. A dozen scientists led by James Hansen, a former NASA climate researcher; he wrote An open letter calling for further study in solar geoengineering next year. A a separate letter A call for a global ban has attracted support from hundreds of scientists.
One fear is that allowing research into solar geoengineering will lead to a slippery slope that provides for its use. Supporters resist the temptation to develop only to grow and thus be governed in the global order to avoid taking a rogue government or billionaire into their own hands.