Can we artificially cool the planet? A major environmental group is spending millions to find out

Can we artificially cool the planet? A major environmental group is spending millions to find out

The sky, as observed from Zeytinburnu, Istanbul, Turkiye on May 25, 2024. | Photo: Getty Images

A major environmental group is reportedly set to funnel millions of dollars into research on solar geoengineering, a proposed fix for climate change that has garnered skepticism and even fears about unintended consequences.

Solar geoengineering encompasses a range of tactics to cool the planet down by reflecting sunlight, perhaps by artificially brightening clouds or thrusting reflective particles into the atmosphere. Rogue efforts to test these theories have raised alarm because scientists don’t know much about what other effects it could cause. It’s led to calls for more research to close those knowledge gaps before more trials move forward.

The Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) plans to dole out “millions of dollars” in grants for…

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