Warning that solar geoengineering could cause unexpected regional heating

A recent modelling study has raised new concerns about the unpredictability of solar geoengineering, questioning our ability to reliably manage the outcomes of this approach in reducing the impacts of climate change.

Solar geoengineering aims to cool the planet by reducing the amount of solar radiation reaching Earth’s surface, reproducing the dimming effect observed after volcanic eruptions. This seems like a plausible solution on paper, especially given current efforts to curb greenhouse gas emissions are not going to be enough to avoid surpassing the 1.5°C threshold in the next decade. But since entering the mainstream scientific discourse, geoengineering approaches to climate change have been a divisive topic.