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Media articles related to climate interventions.

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We can safely experiment with reflecting sunlight away from Earth. Here’s how

06 January 2026, Dakota Gruener and Daniele Visioni, www.theguardian.com

The world is warming fast and our options to avoid catastrophic harm are narrowing. 2024 was the first full year more than 1.5C hotter than the 19th-century average. Emissions are still rising, with fossil fuel use expected to hit a new high in 2025. Cutting emissions and scaling carbon removal remain essential. But they may not be enough. Reflecting a small fraction of incoming sunlight to reduce global heating is not a new idea. It is time to safely experiment.

Atmosphere / solar radiation -> Space-based solar radiation management

Could bouncing the sun’s heat back into space help solve the climate crisis?

07 August 2025, Seán Duke, www.irishtimes.com

As global temperatures climb and extreme weather events become more frequent, scientists are exploring the use of solar geoengineering, a set of different measures all geared towards reflecting sunlight and cooling the Earth. “The world is making progress on emissions,” says solar geoengineering researcher Dr Pete Irvine of the University of Chicago, “but even if every country meets its current pledges, we are still tracking towards more than 2.5 degrees of warming by century’s end.” That level of warming could lead to severe impacts such as loss of biodiversity, health crises and unchecked polar melting. In addition to solar geoengineering, enhanced weathering and direct carbon capture are two other technologies actively being researched to help bring down the temperature.

Atmosphere / solar radiation

Researchers quietly planned a test to dim sunlight. They wanted to ‘avoid scaring’ the public.

27 July 2025, Corbin Hiar, www.politico.com

A team of researchers in California drew notoriety last year with an aborted experiment on a retired aircraft carrier that sought to test a machine for creating clouds.  But behind the scenes, they were planning a much larger and potentially riskier study of salt-water-spraying equipment that could eventually be used to dim the sun’s rays. The details outlined in funding requests, emails, texts and other records obtained by POLITICO’s E&E News raise new questions about a secretive initiative that oversaw last year’s brief solar geoengineering experiment on the San Francisco Bay. They also offer a rare glimpse into the vast scope of research aimed at finding ways to counter the Earth’s warming, work that has often occurred outside public view. Such research is drawing increased interest at a time when efforts to address the root cause of climate change — burning fossil fuels — are facing setbacks in the U.S. and Europe. But the notion of human tinkering with the weather and climate has drawn a political backlash and generated conspiracy theories, adding to the challenges of mounting even small-scale tests.

Atmosphere / solar radiation -> Arctic Marine Cloud Brightening

EPA releases online info on contrails and geoengineering amid conspiracy theories

11 July 2025, Kalé Carey, san.com

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has launched new online resources providing information on contrails and geoengineering amid concerns among some Americans. The website provides an overview of the basics of geoengineering, potential impacts of solar geoengineering, and answers to frequent questions. The move comes as conspiracy theories about cloud seeding are spreading in the wake of deadly Texas flooding.

Atmosphere / solar radiation

Global Surveys Challenge Assumptions on Public Opinion of SRM

10 July 2025, Chad Baum, Benjamin Sovacool and Livia Fritz, srm360.org

In discussions about SRM, a handful of assumptions about public opinion are often taken for granted. Some of these well-worn tropes have gone largely unexamined – until recently. Specifically, that SRM is inherently controversial; opposition is most prevalent in the Global South; and there is broad support for a global ban or moratorium on SRM. But new evidence strongly challenges some conventional assumptions about public attitudes. This research yielded important insights into public perceptions of SRM, summarized in this article. It is hoped that these insights will shape ongoing discussions and debates around SRM, and demonstrate the clear need for inclusive and deep engagement with the general public.

Atmosphere / solar radiation

Reduce, remove, reflect — the three Rs that could limit global warming

08 July 2025, Dante McGrath, theconversation.com

The three Rs of climate action: reduce, remove, and reflect. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is at centre stage, while greenhouse gas removal offers a supporting role by removing historical emissions and offsetting residual emissions from sectors lagging behind in the energy transition. However, the consequences of climate change are outpacing efforts to abate it. With each year, the likelihood of exceeding 1.5 and 2°C warming increases, posing major risks to society and Earth’s ecosystems. That’s why the third R — reflect — needs to be assessed.

Atmosphere / solar radiation

Geoengineering gains momentum, but governance is lacking, critics say

01 August 2024, Sean Mowbray, news.mongabay.com

As the climate crisis advances, geoengineering — intentionally modifying Earth systems on a large scale to cool the planet or store additional carbon — is increasingly a hot topic. But an intense debate is raging as to how to govern research and deployment of these deeply contentious strategies.

Atmosphere / solar radiation -> Artificial glaciers

Report ranks 60+ ideas, including geoengineering, to save the Arctic

21 May 2024, Jeremy Hance, news.mongabay.com

Given that the serious impacts of climate change are rapidly escalating, some scientists, backed up increasingly by governments, are looking into extreme measures such as geoengineering to slow the rate of change.

Atmosphere / solar radiation -> Pumping water onto ice sheets

Her er de ville ideene som kan redde klimaet

13 October 2023, Ingrid Røise Kielland , www.dn.no

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Atmosphere / solar radiation -> Glacier insulation with fabrics

Geoengineer the Planet?

29 May 2019, Fred Pearce, e360.yale.edu

Human intervention with the climate system has long been viewed as an ill-advised and risky step to slow global warming. But with carbon emissions soaring, initiatives to study and develop geoengineering technologies are gaining traction as a potential last resort.

Atmosphere / solar radiation -> Artificial glaciers

Results

"We can safely experiment with reflecting sunlight away from Earth. Here’s how"

06 January 2026, Dakota Gruener and Daniele Visioni, www.theguardian.com

"Could bouncing the sun’s heat back into space help solve the climate crisis?"

07 August 2025, Seán Duke, www.irishtimes.com

"Researchers quietly planned a test to dim sunlight. They wanted to ‘avoid scaring’ the public."

27 July 2025, Corbin Hiar, www.politico.com

"EPA releases online info on contrails and geoengineering amid conspiracy theories"

11 July 2025, Kalé Carey, san.com

"Global Surveys Challenge Assumptions on Public Opinion of SRM"

10 July 2025, Chad Baum, Benjamin Sovacool and Livia Fritz, srm360.org

"Reduce, remove, reflect — the three Rs that could limit global warming"

08 July 2025, Dante McGrath, theconversation.com

"Geoengineering gains momentum, but governance is lacking, critics say"

01 August 2024, Sean Mowbray, news.mongabay.com

"Report ranks 60+ ideas, including geoengineering, to save the Arctic"

21 May 2024, Jeremy Hance, news.mongabay.com

"Her er de ville ideene som kan redde klimaet"

13 October 2023, Ingrid Røise Kielland , www.dn.no

"Geoengineer the Planet?"

29 May 2019, Fred Pearce, e360.yale.edu

Media

Filter

We can safely experiment with reflecting sunlight away from Earth. Here’s how

Could bouncing the sun’s heat back into space help solve the climate crisis?

Researchers quietly planned a test to dim sunlight. They wanted to ‘avoid scaring’ the public.

EPA releases online info on contrails and geoengineering amid conspiracy theories

Global Surveys Challenge Assumptions on Public Opinion of SRM

Reduce, remove, reflect — the three Rs that could limit global warming

Geoengineering gains momentum, but governance is lacking, critics say

Report ranks 60+ ideas, including geoengineering, to save the Arctic

Her er de ville ideene som kan redde klimaet

Geoengineer the Planet?

Results

"We can safely experiment with reflecting sunlight away from Earth. Here’s how"

"Could bouncing the sun’s heat back into space help solve the climate crisis?"

"Researchers quietly planned a test to dim sunlight. They wanted to ‘avoid scaring’ the public."

"EPA releases online info on contrails and geoengineering amid conspiracy theories"

"Global Surveys Challenge Assumptions on Public Opinion of SRM"

"Reduce, remove, reflect — the three Rs that could limit global warming"

"Geoengineering gains momentum, but governance is lacking, critics say"

"Report ranks 60+ ideas, including geoengineering, to save the Arctic"

"Her er de ville ideene som kan redde klimaet"

"Geoengineer the Planet?"