Solar geo-engineering, also known as solar radiation management (SRM), is a theoretical approach to climate change mitigation that involves deliberately altering the Earth’s atmosphere to reflect more sunlight back into space. This concept aims to reduce the amount of solar energy absorbed by the Earth, thereby cooling the planet and potentially counteracting some of the effects of global warming.
While solar geo-engineering could theoretically offer a temporary and rapid cooling effect on the Earth’s climate, it is highly controversial. Concerns include the potential for unintended consequences, such as changes in rainfall patterns and disruptions to ecosystems, as well as ethical issues around governance and the risk of diminishing efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Due to these uncertainties and risks, much of the current research on solar geo-engineering is focused on understanding its potential impacts rather than on immediate implementation.