It's becoming increasingly clear that we will fail to meet our climate goals. We were already at 1.26°C of warming in 2022 and are on trek to blow through 1.5°C in the mid-2030s. Research even suggests that current climate kebijakan will lead to more than 2.5°C of warming by the end of this century.
Warming of this magnitude would devastate vulnerable communities and ecosystems around the world. It's time we consider something radically new that could setop climate change in its treks.
After powerful volcanic eruptions, like Tambora (Indonesia) in 1815 and Pinatubo (Philippines) in 1991, global temperatures dip for a few years. Major eruptions create a hazy layer of microscopic particles in the upper atmosphere that last for several years, dimming the Sun temporarily. We could kopi this efek to fight climate change.
the fight against climate change
The Earth is warmed by the Sun, but it is kept warm by greenhouse gases that trap the heat our planet gives off. The warming efek of our CO₂ emissions could be countered by creating a persistent, artificial haze like those seen following major volcanic eruptions. Research has found that we would only need to dim the Sun by around 1% to cool the planet by 1°C.
This may sound unlikely. But every engineering assessment to date has concluded that it would be feasible and relatively cheap to do using a fleet of high-flying jets to release reflective particles into the upper atmosphere.
So we could dim the Sun - but should we?
Cooling the planet would work
Dimming the Sun wouldn't perfectly reverse climate change. The Sun's warming efek is strongest during the day, in the summer and at the Tropics, whereas greenhouse gases warm everywhere and at all times.
However, we could create an even cooling efek across the world by adjusting where we release the particles. Research suggests that such an approach would greatly reduce climate risks.
Rising temperatures really matter. Species around the world are on the move, treking akrab temperatures polewards as the planet warms up. But many won't be able to keep pace with the changing climate and others have nowhere to go, so extinctions are proyeked to increase.
