UK to fund outdoor experiments on solar geoengineering

The UK government has announced new funding for scientists to conduct outdoor experiments on solar geoengineering. 

£56.8m will be awarded to researchers through the Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA), with the aim of filling knowledge-gaps on the mechanisms and effects of various methods to cool the Earth. 

Far from undermining discussions on proper use and governance, we hope the real-world data collected will better equip society to make informed decisions.

Mark Symes, the Programme Director, says "Decarbonisation is vital, but our current progress puts us at risk of triggering a large number of temperature-induced climate tipping points. 

"This programme will explore critical unanswered questions as to how - or whether - we might cool the Earth safely and responsibly on the timescales required to avoid climate catastrophe.”

When the call for proposals was announced last year, Dr Shaun Fitzgerald, Director of the Centre for Climate Repair at the University of Cambridge, wrote that “this is a significant milestone, as it demonstrates the government’s recognition of geoengineering as a vital area of research that has been underfunded. 

"By supporting the development of a more comprehensive knowledge base, we can help society make better-informed decisions about these potential interventions.”

These outdoor experiments won’t stand alone. At the start of April, we announced new funding to support our modelling research, which will use Earth Systems Models to evaluate the potential risks and effects of different solar radiation management (SRM) techniques. These are the same kinds of models used to predict climate change and weather effects, and they can help build up a picture of the large-scale impacts to complement the real-world experiments.

As a team dedicated to robust research on climate repair, which includes various methods of SRM, we are pleased that the UK government is pursuing greater understanding of potential solutions too. Without research, we cannot truly consider these methods and we risk running out of time to protect the Arctic, and the rest of the planet, from the worst effects of climate change.

As Prof Hugh Hunt, Deputy Director of the Centre for Climate Repair, said, “While geoengineering is not without its risks, the risks of inaction are far greater… The urgency of the situation demands bold and innovative solutions, and geoengineering offers a pathway to avert the worst consequences of a rapidly warming world.”

Read more about the project on their website here.