Environmental Defense Fund to research artificial cooling methods
The Environmental Defense Fund will invest in exploring technologies that could artificially cool the planet, reflecting sunlight into space as a way to combat rising global temperatures.
Christopher Flavelle reports for The New York Times.
In short:
- The Environmental Defense Fund plans to fund research on solar geoengineering, a method for reflecting sunlight away from Earth.
- The research aims to understand the potential global impacts of these technologies, such as changes in precipitation and ocean currents.
- Despite controversy and skepticism, including from within environmental groups, the fund will start issuing grants this fall.
Key quote:
“We are not in favor, period, of deployment. That’s not our goal here. Our goal is information, and solid, well-formulated science.”
— Lisa Dilling, associate chief scientist at EDF
Why this matters:
As global temperatures continue to rise, innovative solutions like solar geoengineering may offer temporary relief. Supporters argue that, with global warming accelerating, it's essential to have a range of strategies on the table. Reflecting sunlight to cool the Earth could buy valuable time, helping to mitigate the worst effects of climate change while longer-term solutions are implemented.
Opponents worry about the unknown risks and ethical implications of manipulating our planet’s climate system. There's also the fear that such technological fixes could detract from efforts to cut emissions at the source.
