British scientists may soon begin testing techniques to dim sunlight as part of a government-funded £50 million initiative aimed at addressing global warming. The geo-engineering programme, expected to receive formal approval in the coming weeks, will investigate several methods of solar radiation management. These could include dispersing reflective particles into the atmosphere or brightening clouds with seawater spray. Another proposed method involves thinning cirrus clouds, which trap heat in the Earth’s atmosphere.
++ Michelle Keegan and Mark Wright enjoy first date night since baby Palma’s arrival
If effective, such techniques could temporarily lower global temperatures by reducing the amount of sunlight reaching the Earth’s surface. While considered a relatively low-cost approach, critics warn of potential risks, including major disruptions to global weather systems. Some fear this could result in rainfall being diverted away from essential agricultural regions, threatening food security. Others argue that relying on geo-engineering could undermine efforts to phase out fossil fuel use, the primary driver of climate change.
The project will be led by the Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA), which has been allocated £800 million of public funding to support high-risk, high-reward research over the next four years. Of this, £50 million will go directly towards the controversial geo-engineering initiative. Professor Mark Symes, ARIA’s programme director, emphasised the urgent need for alternative climate interventions, citing the slow progress on decarbonisation and the looming threat of climate tipping points such as Arctic ice melt, Amazon rainforest loss, and rising sea levels due to collapsing ice sheets.
++ US denies Mexico’s water request, escalating cross-border tensions
Professor Symes clarified that the project will not involve toxic substances and assured that thorough environmental assessments will precede any outdoor trials. He also committed to public consultation with local communities before experiments commence. The overarching aim, he said, is not to replace decarbonisation but to provide a buffer—”a way to buy time”—while the world works to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Further details about the specific projects and research teams involved are expected to be released in the coming weeks.
