As the climate crisis intensifies, so does the urgency to find solutions. Scientific research has a crucial role to play, but one idea that’s gaining traction needs much more scrutiny: goengineering.
Geoengineering is the idea of deliberately altering Earth’s systems to cool the planet. There are two main approaches: One is about blocking some of the sun’s energy, by things like spraying particles into the sky, making clouds brighter, or changing plants on land to reflect more sunlight. The other is about taking carbon out of the air, either by helping nature absorb more of it or using machines to capture and store it underground.
Despite being framed as a high-tech fix for global warming, geoengineering poses serious risks and dangerous distractions from the real work of cutting carbon emissions.
A dangerous detour from real climate action
Let’s be clear: we need science to help us navigate the climate emergency. But geoengineering could easily become a smokescreen. We’re concerned that governments and the fossil fuel industry might seize on it as a justification to delay the transition away from oil, gas and coal. Instead of slashing emissions, they could point to future, unproven technologies as a reason to keep polluting today. We’ve seen it all before.
Too big, too risky, too soon
To deliver results, geoengineering experiments would need to happen at a large scale. That means real, physical changes to our skies, seas or land. The risks? Unintended consequences that could be irreversible. Before even considering outdoor trials, we would need strong governance systems, ironclad rules and full transparency – not just within nations, but across the globe. None of that currently exists.
Geoengineering doesn’t fix the root problem
Proposals like ‘dimming the sun’ – reflecting sunlight back into space – don’t actually remove carbon from the atmosphere. They might lower temperatures temporarily, but they won’t stop ocean acidification, biodiversity loss or the health damage caused by fossil fuel pollution. In other words, the planet might be cooler, but still deeply unwell.
Winners, losers, and a global power struggle
There’s no such thing as a global thermostat that suits everyone. Changing how much sunlight reaches the Earth could disrupt weather patterns, including rainfall and monsoons – with some regions benefiting and others suffering. Without clear international agreements, there’s a real risk that powerful nations – or even wealthy individuals – could go it alone, deploying geoengineering to serve their own interests.
No easy exit
Perhaps most troubling of all, many geoengineering methods come with no off switch. Injecting particles into the atmosphere, for instance, would require constant maintenance. If the process suddenly stopped, global temperatures could spike back rapidly – a dangerous scenario known as ‘termination shock’. Once we start down that path, we may be locked in for generations.
Better solutions are already in our hands
Geoengineering isn’t just a technical issue – it’s a political and social one. We already have proven solutions to cut emissions: solar and wind power, energy storage, electric vehicles, heat pumps, efficient buildings, and more. These technologies are ready, cost-effective, and getting better every day. Instead of gambling with the planet’s systems, we should focus on scaling up the tools we know can work – and holding polluters accountable.
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