Scientists in the UK launch experiments in the open -air geological engineering as part of a government funded by 50 million pounds.
The experiments will be small and accurately evaluated, according to the ARIA Research and Invention Agency (ARIA). UK government agency supports the planAnd it will provide “critical” data needed to assess the potential of technology. The program, along with another project worth 11 million pounds, will make the United Kingdom one of the largest financiers of geological engineering in the world.
Geological engineering is controversial, some of which are the previous planned External experiments have been canceled after Strong opposition. Most geological engineering proposals aim to prevent sunlight that reaches the surface of the Earth, for example by release of clouds of reflective molecules in the atmosphere or using sea water sprinklers to make clouds brighter.
If it succeeds, this may temporarily reduce the superficial temperatures and the harm caused by the climate crisis, allowing more time for deep cut discounts in the necessary global carbon emissions. Looking at the failure of the world Height emissions stopped To date, the last extent of Record hot yearsSolar GeoenGineering says that research in the case is vital in case of emergency brakes.
However, the management of solar radiation (SRM) can have serious, unintended severe consequences, such as changing vital rain to food production. Some scientists warn that starting to develop geological engineering can reduce the motivation to address the root cause of the climatic emergency – burning fossil fuels.
Professor Mark Sims, who leads the ARIA program, said that the threat on the horizon with climate transformation points was a strong reason for the search for solar geological engineering. the Which leads to turning points By high temperatures, such as The collapse of vital ocean currents or Giant ice sheetsIt will have catastrophic effects.
He said: “The uncomfortable truth is that our current warming path makes a number of possible turning points clearly during the next century.” “This has led to increased interest in methods that may actively cool the world in a short time frame in order to avoid these turning points.
“After they spoke to hundreds of researchers, we reached the conclusion that a missing part of our understanding was the real world and material data. These may show us whether any of these possible methods will actually work and what their effects may be. Modeling and internal studies are necessary as preconditions but you cannot tell us much.”
He said that no toxic substances will be released, an environmental impact assessment will be published before outdoor experiments, and local communities will be consulted. The details of the projects funded by ARIA within a few weeks are expected.
Aria’s program was recently named The “dangerous distraction” of emissions By senior scientists, who were called SRM “Barking Mad” and in cancer treatment with aspirin.
A The program of 10 million pounds from Geological Engineering Research On April 3, the National Environmental Research Council (NERC) announced an investigation into the impact of solar engineering interventions. This will not include new outdoor experiments but depends on computer moderation, current data and natural isotopes, such as volcanic eruptions and changes in charging emissions.
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“Our role is to provide the best possible and strong evidence, but without advocacy [geoengineering] “One way or another,” said Kate Hamer, director of NERC.
Global funding for geological engineering so far is relatively small compared to climate science in general, as it was in hundreds of millions of low dollars, according to Dr. Beit Erfin from the University of Chicago. The United States was the leading financier, but President Donald Trump’s attack on climate research, which may make the UK, is expected to reduce the UK. “It should be noted that geological engineering is not a substitute for emissions,” Irvin said.
Professor Jim Hiwood, from the University of Exter and a NERC scholarship, said that the expansion of the SRM project could be possible over a decade. “At the present time, all these ideas should remain on the table, because climate change in the coming decades may be very harmful. Modern global temperatures have been a real invitation to wake up.”
There is no international agreement between the two countries on government The endowment on publication.
“We know that SRM, or the possibility of SRM will affect international relations – it is a serious research question,” said Dr. Sebastian Eastam, at the Imperial College College in London and also a Nerc scholarship. “So part of our project will be to collect people from different global regions to understand what may be the consequences.”
Eastam said he believes that geological engineering research in the United Kingdom will exclude some proposed techniques: “I expect that we will collect a small amount of strong evidence and close the door to some. Then we will know that we focus our efforts on the areas that will be very useful and less harmful.”
