European Commission urges ban on risky solar geoengineering
The idea of cooling the Earth by reflecting sunlight into space raises controversies. Scientific advisors to the European Commission highlight the risks associated with this solution and call for a ban on using such technologies in the European Union.
Solar geoengineering resembles an attempt to lower the temperature in an overheated oven by reducing heat input. Its aim would be to reflect some of the sunlight, for example, by brightening clouds, introducing reflective particles into the atmosphere, or deploying mirrors in orbit.
Other solutions considered have included scattering lunar dust or launching millions of tonnes of diamonds into space to reflect sunlight. According to reports from the website spidersweb.pl, climate modeling indicates that such technologies could theoretically help limit the rise in global temperatures and mitigate the effects of climate change, such as rising sea levels or extreme weather events.
Is solar geoengineering too risky?
However, scientists warn that the side effects of such actions are difficult to predict and could trigger global consequences. For example, interference with the atmosphere could affect rainfall, disrupt ecosystems, or hinder food production. Moreover, such actions would not address the root cause of the problem – greenhouse gas emissions.
Experts from the European Commission emphasize that presenting solar geoengineering as an alternative may undermine ongoing efforts to reduce emissions and adapt to climate change. They add that any intervention in the planetary environment would require international regulatory frameworks that account for the interests of all parties and include compensation mechanisms for those potentially affected. As reported by the website spidersweb.pl, such structures do not currently exist, and their creation would be complicated.
In a document prepared by the Group of Chief Scientific Advisors and the European Group on Ethics in Science and New Technologies, it is stated that although some geoengineering technologies may seem like tempting solutions, their long-term consequences are too risky to ignore. Therefore, they call for a moratorium on any actions aimed at artificially cooling the Earth.
