Why and how to “dim the sun” to fight climate change – IndoChinatown

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It is becoming increasingly clear that we will fail to achieve our climate goals. We were there at 1 p.m 1,26°C global warming by 2022 and is on track to make it happen in the mid-2030s by 1.5°C. Research even shows the impact of current climate policies more than 2.5°C warming at the end of this century.

Warming of this magnitude will devastate vulnerable communities and ecosystems around the world. It’s time to consider something truly new that can stop climate change.

After large volcanic eruptions such as Tambora (Indonesia) in 1815 and Pinatubo (Philippines) in 1991, reduction in global temperature for several years. Larger eruptions create a hazy layer of microscopic particles in the upper atmosphere that persists for several years, making them temporarily brighter than the Sun. We can replicate this impact to fight climate change.

The Earth is heated by the Sun, but that’s the way it is heated by greenhouse gases which traps the heat emitted by our planet. The warming effects of CO₂ emissions could be countered by creating persistent artificial fog, similar to that seen after large volcanic eruptions. Research has shown that this amount is enough to dim the Sun about 1% cools the planet by 1°C.

This seems unlikely to happen. However, every engineering assessment to date has concluded this decent and relatively cheap this can be done by using a fleet of high-flying jets to release reflective particles into the upper atmosphere.

So we can be brighter than the Sun – but should we?

Cooling the planet will do the trick

Dimming the sun’s rays will not completely reverse climate change. The warming effect of the sun is strongest during the day, summer, and in tropical areas, while greenhouse gases warm anywhere and at any time.

But we can create it uniform cooling effect around the world by adjusting where the particles are released. Research shows that such an approach is possible significantly reduce climate risks.

Increasing the temperature is very important. There are species all over the world move, tracks known temperatures towards the poles as the planet warms. However, many of them were unable to keep up with climate change, and others had nowhere to go, leading to extinction growth is expected.

We are also seeing extreme heat hit our region absolute limits of the human bodyrisking life and limiting outdoor work.

As the earth warms, the warmer air pulls more moisture from the soil during the dry season and pushes it out when it rains. This causes dry areas to become drier and wet areas to become wetter, and that is exactly what it is exacerbating droughts and floods around the world.

The dimming of the Sun will offset this effect. But this will still change global wind and rainfall patterns.

Research shows that this means smaller changes in overall rainfall. However, a small number of places can observe changes in rainfall that are more real than climate changes. Climate models do not agree on the details of regional rainfall changes, so at this stage it is unclear which regions will experience the greatest changes.

Blocks sunlight will also be effective a way to freeze the icy parts of the world. Rising temperatures are causing the Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets to melt more rapidly, raising global sea levels. Climate change is also causing permafrost (frozen ground that stores large amounts of carbon) to melt, leading to: more emissions methane and CO₂.

Side effects

While dimming the Sun can cool the Earth, it won’t solve the root of the climate problem: the buildup of CO₂ and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. CO₂ not only heats the planet, it also heats the planet acidify the oceans, making it difficult for corals and other creatures to form shells. Dimming the sunlight won’t change that.

This will also have some side effects. This layer of fuzzy particles will form the sky a little whiter. And if we imitate a volcanic eruption by releasing sulfate molecules into the upper atmosphere, we also add acid rain problem.

These particles can hit ozone layer which also protects us from harmful UV radiation. Research suggests this could add more sulfate particles to the upper atmosphere delayed recovery ozone hole.

This side effect is a problem. However, these impacts are nothing compared to the impacts of climate change. AND latest research found that the benefits of lowering extreme temperatures on human health may outweigh the health impacts of these side effects by more than 50 to 1.

Paul Crutzen who won the Nobel Prize in 1995 for solving the chemical problem of the ozone hole, was well aware of this side effect, but argued that we should start taking seriously the idea of ​​dimming the Sun. In an article from 2006 – he emphasized that it would be best to reduce CO₂ emissions quickly so that we don’t have to consider dimming the Sun at all. However, he complained that “it seems like wishful thinking at this point.”

Symptoms are important

It became increasingly clear that these “wishes” were not coming true. From Crutzen’s 2006 article CO₂ emission increased by more than 15%. We cannot reduce emissions fast enough to prevent the devastating impacts of climate change.

Dimming the sun will not solve the root causes of climate ills, and we must continue to work to reduce emissions, but increasing evidence suggests that it will work wonders in addressing the symptoms.

However, this is not too surprising. Ice melts when it’s warm, warm air brings more moisture, and heat has a direct impact on life. Our knowledge is still not enough to recommend sunlight dimming at this time, but if countries do not start taking this idea seriously, we could miss a valuable opportunity to reduce the risks of climate change.

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(Author:Peter Irvinelecturer in earth sciences, UCL)

(Disclosure Statement: Peter Irvine receives funding from Horizon Europe. He serves as a scientific advisor to the Degrees Initiative, a non-governmental organization that funds global research into geoengineering solar radiation modification).

This article has been republished from Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read original article.

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