The Solar Geoengineering Updates Newsletter (February'2024)

Welcome to the Solar Geoengineering Updates Newsletter, a monthly newsletter that updates you on the developments of everything SRM-related.

RESEARCH PAPERS

Marine-cloud brightening: an airborne concept

Claudel, C., Lockley, A. J., Hoffmann, F., & Xia, Y. (2023). Marine Cloud Brightening: an airborne concept.

Implication of stratospheric aerosol geoengineering on compound precipitation and temperature extremes in Africa

Obahoundje, S., Nguessan-Bi, V. H., Diedhiou, A., Kravitz, B., & Moore, J. C. (2023). Implication of stratospheric aerosol geoengineering on compound precipitation and temperature extremes in Africa. Science of the Total Environment, 863, 160806.

Identifying the regional emergence of climate patterns in the ARISE-SAI-1.5 simulations

Labe, Z. M., Barnes, E. A., & Hurrell, J. W. (2023). Identifying the regional emergence of climate patterns in the ARISE-SAI-1.5 simulations. Environmental Research Letters, 18(4), 044031.

Towards a Non-Use Regime on Solar Geoengineering: Lessons from International Law and Governance

Gupta, A., Biermann, F., van Driel, E., Bernaz, N., Jayaram, D., Kim, R. E., ... & Wewerinke-Singh, M. (2024). Towards a Non-Use Regime on Solar Geoengineering: Lessons from International Law and Governance. Transnational Environmental Law, 1-32.

Considering intentional stratospheric dehydration for climate benefits

Schwarz, J. P., Gao, R. S., Thornberry, T. D., Rollins, A. W., Rosenlof, K. H., Portmann, R. W., ... & Ray, E. A. (2024). Considering intentional stratospheric dehydration for climate benefits. Science Advances, 10(9), eadk0593.

Why does stratospheric aerosol forcing strongly cool the warm pool?

Günther, M., Schmidt, H., Timmreck, C., & Toohey, M. (2024). Why does stratospheric aerosol forcing strongly cool the warm pool?. EGUsphere, 2024, 1-32.

Assessing Outcomes in Stratospheric Aerosol Injection Scenarios Shortly After Deployment

Hueholt, D. M., Barnes, E. A., Hurrell, J. W., Richter, J. H., & Sun, L. (2023). Assessing outcomes in stratospheric aerosol injection scenarios shortly after deployment. Earth's Future, 11(5), e2023EF003488.

Unexpectedly rapid aerosol formation in the Hunga Tonga plume

Asher, E., Todt, M., Rosenlof, K., Thornberry, T., Gao, R. S., Taha, G., ... & Xiong, K. (2023). Unexpectedly rapid aerosol formation in the Hunga Tonga plume. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 120(46), e2219547120.

Kicking the Can Down the Road: Understanding the Effects of Delaying the Deployment of Stratospheric Aerosol Injection

Brody, E., Visioni, D., Bednarz, E. M., Kravitz, B., MacMartin, D. G., Richter, J. H., & Tye, M. R. (2024). Kicking the Can Down the Road: Understanding the Effects of Delaying the Deployment of Stratospheric Aerosol Injection. arXiv preprint arXiv:2402.11992.

Reassessing the cooling that followed the 1991 volcanic eruption of Mt. Pinatubo

Boretti, A. (2024). Reassessing the cooling that followed the 1991 volcanic eruption of Mt. Pinatubo. Journal of Atmospheric and Solar-Terrestrial Physics, 106187.

Stratospheric Aerosol Injection Geoengineering Would Mitigate Greenhouse Gas-Induced Drying and Affect Global Drought Patterns

Liu, Z., Lang, X., & Jiang, D. (2024). Stratospheric aerosol injection geoengineering would mitigate greenhouse gas‐induced drying and affect global drought patterns. Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres, 129(3), e2023JD039988.

Annual Solar Geoengineering: Mitigating Yearly Global Warming Increases

Feinberg, A. (2024). Annual Solar Geoengineering: Mitigating Yearly Global Warming Increases. Climate, 12(2), 26.

Emulating Inconsistencies in Stratospheric Aerosol Injection

Jared Farley, Douglas G Macmartin, Daniele Visioni, et al. Emulating Inconsistencies in Stratospheric Aerosol Injection. ESS Open Archive . February 13, 2024.

Flawed Emergency Intervention: Slow Ocean Response to Abrupt Stratospheric Aerosol Injection

Daniel Pflüger, Claudia Elisabeth Wieners, Leo van Kampenhout, et al. Flawed Emergency Intervention: Slow Ocean Response to Abrupt Stratospheric Aerosol Injection. ESS Open Archive . February 08, 2024.

Clouds dissipate quickly during solar eclipses as the land surface cools

Trees, V. J., de Roode, S. R., Wiltink, J. I., Meirink, J. F., Wang, P., Stammes, P., & Siebesma, A. P. (2024). Clouds dissipate quickly during solar eclipses as the land surface cools. Communications Earth & Environment, 5(1), 71.

Impact of stratospheric aerosol injection on photovoltaic energy potential over Nigeria

Ojo, O. S., Emmanuel, I., Ogolo, E., & Adeyemi, B. (2024). Impact of stratospheric aerosol injection on photovoltaic energy potential over Nigeria. Asian Journal of Atmospheric Environment, 18(1), 5.

Avoiding atmospheric anarchy: Geoengineering as a source of interstate tension

Morrissey, W. (2024). Avoiding atmospheric anarchy: Geoengineering as a source of interstate tension. Environment and Security, 27538796231221597.

The minimal geoengineering problem concerning the Paris 2015 agreement

Bodai, T., Lembo, V., Aneesh, S., Lee, S., Ishuzu, M., & Franz, M. O. (2024). The minimal geoengineering problem concerning the Paris 2015 agreement.

Future changes in atmospheric rivers over East Asia under stratospheric aerosol intervention

Liang, J., & Haywood, J. (2023). Future changes in atmospheric rivers over East Asia under stratospheric aerosol intervention. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 23(2), 1687-1703.

Combining shading and lipid-enriched diets as an adaption tool to reduce coral bleaching

Hendrickson, C., Butcherine, P., Tagliafico, A., Ellis, S. L., Harrison, D. P., & Kelaher, B. P. (2024). Combining shading and lipid-enriched diets as an adaption tool to reduce coral bleaching. Journal of experimental marine biology and ecology, 572, 151988.

Simulated responses and feedbacks of permafrost carbon under future emissions pathways and idealized solar geoengineering scenarios

Chen, Y., Moore, J. C., & Ji, D. (2024). Simulated responses and feedbacks of permafrost carbon under future emissions pathways and idealized solar geoengineering scenarios. Environmental Research Letters.

A simple and realistic aerosol emission approach for use in the Thompson–Eidhammer microphysics scheme in the NOAA UFS Weather Model (version GSL global-24Feb2022)

Li, H., Grell, G. A., Ahmadov, R., Zhang, L., Sun, S., Schnell, J., & Wang, N. (2024). A simple and realistic aerosol emission approach for use in the Thompson–Eidhammer microphysics scheme in the NOAA UFS Weather Model (version GSL global-24Feb2022). Geoscientific Model Development, 17(2), 607-619.

Modeling the contribution of secondary aerosols on aerosol scattering ensemble: a comparative analysis of the scattering abilities of different aerosol species

Arreyndip, N. A., & Joseph, E. (2024). Modeling the contribution of secondary aerosols on aerosol scattering ensemble: a comparative analysis of the scattering abilities of different aerosol species. Optics Express, 32(3), 4614-4626.

Radiative effect of thin cirrus clouds in the extratropical lowermost stratosphere and tropopause region

Spang, R., Müller, R., & Rap, A. (2024). Radiative effect of thin cirrus clouds in the extratropical lowermost stratosphere and tropopause region. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 24(2), 1213-1230.

Avoiding atmospheric anarchy: Geoengineering as a source of interstate tension

Morrissey, W. (2024). Avoiding atmospheric anarchy: Geoengineering as a source of interstate tension. Environment and Security, 0(0).

FUNDING OPPORTUNITY

Research programme to model impact of solar radiation management

A new £10.5m, five-year research programme will deliver independent risk-risk analyses to inform policymakers in the area of solar radiation management (SRM).

WEB POSTS

It is time to draw down carbon dioxide but shut down moves to play God with the climate (The Conversation)

Solar geoengineering could start soon if it starts small (MIT Technology Review)

Geoengineering may slow Greenland ice sheet loss, finds modeling study (Phys.Org) image

How solar geoengineering is clouding issues of tribal consent (High Country News)

Could a Giant Parasol in Outer Space Help Solve the Climate Crisis? (The New York Times)

Looking back on 2023 at the Degrees Initiative (The Degrees Initiative)

The Imminent Reality of Solar Geoengineering: A Call to Policymakers (Medriva)

Someone is going to dim the sun, and it will be soon (Ben James)

Interview with Chad M. Baum, on his research into public perceptions of solar geoengineering activities in Mexico, the UK, and the US (Environmental Politics)

Scientists Resort to Once-Unthinkable Solutions to Cool the Planet (WSJ)

Switzerland proposes first UN expert group on solar geoengineering (Climate Home News)

Interview: Confronting the Riddle of Geoengineering (Undark)

Degrees holds workshop on regionalising SRM research in Southeast Asia (The Degrees Initiative)

SilverLining - 5 Years of Impact: Scientific Research (SilverLining)

Open Letter to IMO on Bunker Fuel Regulation has been Transmitted to the IMO (HPAC)

World Climate Research Programme launches a Lighthouse Activity on Climate Intervention Research (International Science Council )

How solar geoengineering is clouding issues of tribal consent (High Country News)

The Degrees Initiative to host 2025 Global Forum on solar radiation modification (The Degrees Initiative)

Emergency atmospheric geoengineering wouldn't save the oceans (Phys.org)

Safety fears stall U.N. bid to examine sun-blocking climate change tech (Reuters)

Climate Vulnerable Nations Reject US-led Push for Solar Geoengineering at UNEA-6 (CIEL)

Canada Bets Big on Bill Gates' Solar Geoengineering Initiative to Tame Global Warming (BNN Breaking)

Not such a bright idea: cooling the Earth by reflecting sunlight back to space is a dangerous distraction (The Conservation)

Dehydrate the stratosphere to curb global warming? Scientists float risky new strategy (Science)

OPINIONS

Aerosols and land surface geoengineering

UNEA6 fails to adopt SRM resolution

DISCUSSIONS

Plea regarding UNEA-6

Solar geoengineering could start soon if it starts small | MIT Technology Review

Aerosols effects on polar ice

OPEN LETTER CALL

Amplifying Youth Voices For The Governance Of Solar Radiation Modification (SRM Youth)

POLICY BRIEF

Governance of Solar Radiation Modification: Developing the Pakistan Perspective

JOB OPPORTUNITY

Research Fellow in Solar Geoengineering at University College London | Deadline: 10 March 2024

“We are seeking to appoint a research fellow position in Solar Geoengineering, to be held in the Department of Earth Sciences at UCL. The Horizon Europe-funded project ‘Conditions for Responsible Research of SRM – Analysis, Co-Creation, and Ethos (Co-Create)’ aims to support the development of possible new research governance arrangements for solar geoengineering in the European Union.

The post is available for 18 months in the first instance and collaborations will span several UK and European universities and several disciplines.

The postdoctoral researcher will play a central role in the scientific and technical evaluation of solar geoengineering and proposed field tests as part of this interdisciplinary project. The postdoctoral researcher will also help organize an international workshop focused on potential field tests of solar geoengineering, bringing together researchers with plans for such field tests.”

ANNOUNCEMENT

We have curated a “Solar Geoengineering Events Calendar.” Explore and stay informed about upcoming events, conferences, webinars, funding and job deadlines on Solar Geoengineering technology. Sync specific events / all events to your default calendar to ensure you never miss out on important SRM updates.

GUIDELINES:

Sync selected events to your default calendar in these simple steps:

1) Click on the event you want to sync.

2) Tap the menu icon (three vertical lines) at the top left.

3) Choose 'Share.'

4) Pick your default calendar.

5) Save the event.

Sync the entire Teamup Calendar to your default calendar with these simple steps:

1) Tap the menu icon (three vertical lines) at the top right.

2) Choose 'Preferences.'

3) Click 'iCalendar Feeds.'

4) Copy the URL shown for 'Solar Geoengineering Events / SRM Deadlines.'’

5) Paste the URL into your default calendar settings.

6) Click 'Subscribe' or 'Add Calendar.'

For more detailed instructions, visit: https://calendar.teamup.com/kb/subscribe-to-teamup-icalendar-feeds/

PODCASTS

Janos Pasztor on global climate policy and geoengineering | Challenging Climate

“This episode’s guest is Janos Pasztor. He has four decades of work experience in the areas of energy, environment, climate change, and sustainable development, including roles as Executive Director of the Carnegie Climate Governance Initiative (C2G) and UN Assistant Secretary-General for Climate Change. 

In this episode, we explore the political lens of carbon dioxide removal (CDR) and solar radiation management (SRM), discussing the progress of CDR and SRM discourse, as well as its challenges and controversies.”

To try to save a fast-melting glacier, scientists use geoengineering | KCRW

“Greenland’s Jakobshavn glacier is one of the fastest deteriorating glaciers in the world. But some researchers say they may have figured out a way to save it.”

Could Geoengineering Cool the Planet? | WSJ Podcast

“Altering the ocean or atmosphere to mitigate the effects of climate change is an approach called geoengineering. For scientists, these techniques were long considered taboo. But now, that’s changing. Researchers and startups are launching three geoengineering field experiments in Israel, Australia and Massachusetts this year. But will they work and could there be unintended consequences? WSJ reporter Eric Niiler tells host Alex Ossola about these projects, and what they could mean for the future of the planet.”

MEER (Mirrors for Earth's Energy Rebalancing) by MEER

“MEER director Peter Dynes hosts founder and director Dr. Ye Tao discussing climate, geo-engineering, the MEER project and more.”

The Thorny Issue Of 1.5C | Outrage Optimism

“1.5C degrees is back in the news again as the recent Copernicus report reported that the world had exceeded this politically agreed temperature limit for the majority of 2023. But what does this mean? Do we abandon this target and set a new one? Is it still useful to use this as our north star in tackling the effects of man-made climate change? Is now the right time to start a serious conversation about geo-engineering? Join Christiana, Tom and Paul as they grapple with these difficult questions and their wider implications. 

Our guest this week is Dr. Michael E. Mann, Presidential Distinguished Professor of Earth & Environmental Science, and Director of the Penn Center for Science, Sustainability and the Media (PCSSM) at the University of Pennsylvania. He lends us his expertise to discuss the liabilities and implications of breaching the 1.5 degree ceiling, and what his latest legal victory means for the ‘war on science’.”

Dimming the Sun | BBC Inside Science

“Switzerland has submitted a proposal to create a United Nations expert group on solar geoengineering to inform governments and stakeholders. The idea was discussed at the UN Environment Assembly in Nairobi, Kenya, this week. Professor Aarti Gupta shares how, after tense negotiations, the different member states could not agree, and the proposal was withdrawn. Why is solar geoengineering a controversial issue? How would dimming the sun even work? And should we consider it a genuine option in our fight against climate change? Dr Pete Irvine and Professor Joanna Haigh join presenter Marnie Chesterton in the studio to discuss.”

YOUTUBE VIDEOS

How 2023 Broke Our Climate Models with Neil deGrasse Tyson & Gavin Schmidt | StarTalk

“Why were climate models so wrong about 2023? Neil deGrasse Tyson learns about why 2023 was hotter than we expected it to be and what effects need to be factored into future climate modeling with climatologist at NASA Goddard Institute, Gavin Schmidt.”

Regional Dialogue 2024 - Day 01- Session II | Institute of Regional Studies

“DSG's Hassaan Sipra joined the IRSIslamabad Annual Regional Dialogue 2024 on Crafting Climate Commitments: Next Phase of Regional NDCs, where he provided insights on SG as potential coping strategies and adaptation measures for the South Asia to consider.”

Solar Climate Intervention Virtual Symposium 8 (Dr. Sandro Vattioni & Jessica Wan) | Solar Climate Intervention Talks

“Solar Climate Intervention Virtual Symposium 8

Dr. Sandro Vattioni (ETH Zurich, Switzerland): "Chemical and climatic impacts of solid particles for stratospheric solar climate intervention."

Jessica Wan (Scripps Institution of Oceanography, USA): "Diminished efficacy of regional marine cloud brightening in a warmer world".”

Janos Pasztor on global climate policy and geoengineering | Challenging Climate

“This episode’s guest is Janos Pasztor. He has four decades of work experience in the areas of energy, environment, climate change, and sustainable development, including roles as Executive Director of the Carnegie Climate Governance Initiative (C2G) and UN Assistant Secretary-General for Climate Change. 

In this episode, we explore the political lens of carbon dioxide removal (CDR) and solar radiation management (SRM), discussing the progress of CDR and SRM discourse, as well as its challenges and controversies.”

How Much does Latitude Matter for Stratospheric Aerosol Injection? | Matthew Henry

“How Much does Latitude Matter for Stratospheric Aerosol Injection?Co-authors : Jim Haywood and Ewa M Bednarz”

Douglas MacMartin on solar geoengineering (Feb 12, 2024) | Kalamazoo Climate Crisis Coalition

“This lecture, presented by Prof. MacMartin from Cornell University, was part of Climate Emergency: Spring into Action 2024 series organized by the WMU Climate Change Working Group.

MEER Update 2023 | Climate Emergency Forum

“MEER, which stands for Mirrors for Earth’s Energy Rebalance, aligns with Dr. James Hansen's recent paper on Global Warming in the Pipeline and seeks to provide a way of addressing the problem.

Dr. Tao explains his motivation for starting the MEER project, emphasizing the urgency of tackling climate issues. He highlights the potential impact of legacy greenhouse gases and the need for solutions. The discussion touches on the Faustian bargain of aerosols and their role in temperature rise. Dr. Tao shares insights from experiments in Sierra Leone, where rooftop mirrors have demonstrated significant cooling effects on buildings, positively impacting residents' lives.

The conversation extends to challenges faced during MEER experiments, such as the need for high-quality data and community engagement. Dr. Tao emphasizes the importance of educating the community, involving children in workshops, and providing them with opportunities to learn about science and technology.

Furthermore, Dr. Tao introduces a related project aimed at addressing water safety issues, inspired by the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. He describes a device that utilizes sunlight to heat water, reaching sterilization temperatures and offering a potential solution for regions lacking access to clean drinking water. 

Dr. Tao concludes by sharing his vision for worker-owned enterprises, incorporating artistic expression, and generating revenue to support basic needs such as clean water, food, and education in vulnerable communities.”

Robert Hunziker and Planetary Restoration Action Group | Robbie Tulip

“This is a great discussion! Robert Hunziker is a leading international journalist writing on geoengineering. Last week Counter Punch published his article on the urgent need to refreeze the Arctic, based on discussions with PRAG chair John Nissen. In this video, Robert joins a dozen of us at PRAG to talk about why these issues do not get addressed through our political processes and what we can do to alert people to the problems.”

Amazon re:MARS 2022: Modeling our future: Advancing climate research with AI (MLR218) |SilverLining

"Climate researchers have increasingly adopted AI/ML to tackle complex challenges, including prediction, process parameterization, and knowledge discovery. In this session, explore how scientists are using full-scale climate models, explainable AI, and physics-informed AI models to facilitate a deeper understanding of climate processes, climate impacts, and the potential impacts of climate intervention techniques designed to mitigate the worst effects of global warming, such as increasing the reflection of sunlight from particles in the atmosphere. Join Dr. Elizabeth A. Barnes and Kelly Wanser to understand how AWS HPC clusters and training networks on GPU nodes are pushing the frontiers of climate science and climate-risk research."

Growing back Ice, in the Arctic? | Fonger Ypma | TEDxAmsterdam | TEDx Talks

"Arctic Sea Ice is rapidly declining, and the Arctic sea is expected to experience ice-free summers as early as the thirties. This will further accelerate the climate crisis and start a series of devastating feedbacks, since the Arctic sea ice functions as the earth’s refrigerator by reflecting the sun’s heat back into space. What if we could preserve the Arctic ice as heat shield by thickening the ice in winter through pumping sea water on top of it in strategically chosen locations across the Arctic Sea? Fonger Ypma is a cleantech entrepreneur, who recently founded Arctic Reflections, with the moonshot mission to restore Arctic Sea Ice to counter global warming. After obtaining a PhD in Mathematical Physics from Oxford University, Fonger worked as a strategy consultant at McKinsey & Company for several years. From there, he moved to Eneco, a Dutch sustainable energy company, to be part of a newly formed unit on Innovation & Corporate Venturing. At Eneco, he led the innovation team, and founded a cross-company programme on data science and AI.

As an experienced leader in the energy transition, he co-founded a start-up aimed at datacentre waste heat reuse, and was CEO of a housing market data analytics scale-up. Initially starting his Arctic ice initiative as a side project with the Technical University of Delft, he is now fulltime dedicated to this endeavour. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community."

OSM24: Climate interventions and our oceans – ask us anything | AGU

"The oceans are both critical elements regulating Earth's climate and ecosystems vulnerable to the effects of climate change caused by overuse of carbon-based fuels. Climate interventions, including stratospheric aerosol injection, cloud brightening and ocean-based carbon dioxide removal strategies, are gaining attention and investment. What is ocean-based carbon dioxide removal? What are potential benefits, limitations and risks of these approaches? How should applications be regulated? Join our expert panel to discuss these questions and more about future impacts of climate intervention efforts on our oceans."