The White House has been open to a ridiculous proposal aimed at blocking sunlight from reaching the Earth’s surface in an effort to “combat global warming.”
In a report released Friday, the White House presented the concept of solar radiation modification (SRM) as a means to rapidly cool the planet by limiting sunlight. However, the administration has stressed that no decision has been made regarding a “geoengineering” policy, clarifying that the report was prepared in response to a congressional directive.
The report described several methods of achieving SRM, but warned that each approach carried the risk of serious consequences if mismanaged. One strategy suggested increasing aerosol concentrations in the stratosphere to reflect solar radiation away from Earth. Alternatives included increasing cloud cover over the oceans or reducing cirrus cloud formations that reflect solar radiation back to the planet.
In the report, the White House reiterated its commitment to address climate issues. It said: “Climate change is already having profound effects on the physical and natural world, as well as on human well-being. These effects will only intensify as greenhouse gas concentrations rise and warming continues. Understanding these impacts is crucial to inform decisions about the potential role of SRM in mitigating the hardships associated with climate change.”
The report noted that such an immense effort could lead to major disruptions in weather patterns, food supplies, biodiversity, geopolitics and human health. In addition, the report warned of the potential for sudden warming if the decision to implement the SRM was reversed and the sun’s rays quickly warmed the Earth again.
The planet is at relatively low global temperatures and carbon dioxide levels in Earth’s historical terms, according to peer-reviewed temperature data published by researcher CR Scotese and carbon dioxide data published by RA Berner of the University of Yale in the Geocarb III dataset (page 201).
According to these data sets, Earth’s current carbon dioxide level of 420 ppm (parts per million) compares with levels of more than 2,000 ppm in the Mesozoic Era and more than 4,000 in the Paleozoic Era. Earth’s average global temperature is about 13.9 degrees Celsius, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA), compared to nearly 22 degrees Celsius, the maximum temperature before the current Quaternary ice age that spanning much of the Mesozoic era and back again. through the periods of the Paleozoic era.
Life on earth flourished in both of these eras, despite much higher carbon dioxide levels and much higher average global temperatures. The Cambrian explosion of life approximately 544 million years ago began with some of the highest global temperatures and carbon dioxide levels on record.
However, the Biden administration’s report claimed that SRM could offer the possibility of significantly cooling the planet within a few years. However, the administration clarified in a statement accompanying the report that there were currently no plans to establish a comprehensive research program focused on solar radiation modification.
Scientists have mixed opinions about the potential benefits of this risky plan, with some expressing concern about catastrophic changes in Earth’s atmosphere. Others argue that it could serve as a last resort if fears about climate change materialize in the coming decades.
Shuchi Talati, executive director of the Alliance for Fair Deliberation on Solar Geoengineering, emphasized the importance of the report’s existence, stating, “The fact that this report exists is probably the most consequential component of this release “.
Under the Biden administration, climate policy has become a central focus in several sectors, including infrastructure and transportation. That represents a marked shift from Biden’s predecessor, Donald Trump, who dismissed climate change as a hoax.
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