British ministers have begun preparing for a potential scenario in which hostile nations or actors use sun dimming technology, The Telegraph reported on Sunday, citing a ministerial letter.
The UK is reportedly interested in a risk assessment of technology which could reflect sunlight away from the Earth, and its potential to manufacture an environmental disaster.
While experts have confirmed that some foreign actors may simply use the technology to lower their carbon emissions, there is a risk that the technology could be used maliciously.
Solar geoengineering, commonly also referred to as solar radiation modification, is a scientific practice which seeks to reduce global warming by redirecting some of the sunlight which would have otherwise reached Earth.
One of the most researched methods of solar geoengineering is a technique that seeks to shoot aerosols into the atmosphere, which would reflect the sunlight away from Earth.
Concerns on the downsides of Solar geoengineering
Kerry McCarthy, the climate minister, reportedly wrote in the ministerial letter, “The UK is a longstanding leader on climate action and an active international collaborator in scientific research. The Government recognises the need to understand the risks and impacts of [solar radiation modification] approaches that could be deployed by an independent or third-party actor. Robust scientific evidence is essential for informing responsible and inclusive governance.”
While the use of sun dimming has the potentially to reduce the strain of the climate crisis, the subject remains a controversial topic among experts. Over 560 academics signed an open letter calling for an international non-use agreement, citing the “frightening and inequitable” nature of the technology.
Dan Marks, a research fellow in energy security at the Royal United Services Institute, told the Telegraph “There are a few challenges with the way the technology works. If you are putting aerosols in the air, for example, then the Earth spins and you can’t limit that to your national boundaries. And even if you could, weather systems don’t stop at borders.
“So if a country decided to deploy that kind of technology, then there is a real question of how do you treat that legally? How do you treat it diplomatically?
“Equally, what if an Elon Musk or an activist group decided to do it, and decided to do it in the middle of the ocean? How do you govern that?”