Weekly Solar Geoengineering Updates (02 June - 08 June 2025)
Weekly SRM roundup of research papers, web posts, events, jobs, projects, podcasts, videos and much more.
1. This Week’s Top SRM Highlights
2. Research Papers
3. Web Posts
4. Upcoming Events
5. Podcasts
6. YouTube Videos
RESEARCH PAPER: The effects of solar radiation modification on solar and wind resource and power generation in the Caribbean (PLOS One)
RESEARCH PAPER: Injection Near the Stratopause Minimizes the Stratospheric Side Effects of Sulfur-Based Climate Intervention - Preprint (EGUSphere)
WEB POST: Unsubstantiated 'chemtrail' conspiracy theories lead to legislation proposed in US statehouses (The Washington Post)
UPCOMING EVENT: SAI as a Security Dilemma Between the United States and China: Geopolitical Implications for Policymaking (HPAC)
PODCAST: Human Behavioral Factors and Solar Radiation Modification (Remove and Reflect Podcast)
VIDEO: Why engage around Solar Radiation Modification research? (Operaatio Arktis)
Read on to unpack more updates:
Planetary sunshade for solar geoengineering: Preliminary design of a precursor system and mission
Authors: Marina Coco, Catello Leonardo Matonti, Chantal Cappelletti, Bruce Chesley, Christer Fuglesang, et al.
Synopsis: This paper proposes a precursor mission to demonstrate technologies for a Planetary Sunshade System (PSS) near the photo-gravitational equilibrium point, closer to the Sun than L1 due to solar radiation pressure. A 12U CubeSat with an 81 m² solar sail will test propulsion, attitude control, and optical shield durability. With a $10M budget, the mission aims to validate sustainable solar sailing and autonomous control, advancing scalable space-based solar geoengineering.
Authors: Matthew St. Michael Williams, Leonardo A. Clarke, Randy Koon Koon, Michael A. Taylor, et al.
Synopsis: Using HadGEM2‑ES and GeoMIP SRM scenarios (G4, G4cdnc, G4seaSalt) for future Caribbean climates, the study finds solar PV output modestly drops (~1–3%) under SRM, while wind power shows large, seasonally varying increases: up to ~65% (G4cdnc DJF) for 67 m turbines and ~90% (G4seaSalt ASON) for 99 m turbines. Marine cloud‑brightening SRM yields more consistent wind gains. Implications are significant for Caribbean renewable‑energy planning.
Authors: Pengfei Yu, Yifeng Peng, Karen H. Rosenlof, Ru-Shan Gao, Robert W. Portmann, Martin Ross, et al.
Synopsis: This study shows that injecting sulfur aerosols at 50 km altitude (SAI50) instead of the traditional 25 km reduces harmful side effects of stratospheric aerosol injection. SAI50 lessens tropical stratospheric warming, speeds Antarctic ozone recovery, and increases cooling efficiency, resulting in better global and polar temperature reduction (22% and 40% respectively) and 20% more Arctic sea ice preservation. It suggests SAI50 is a more effective and less disruptive climate intervention method.
Green Prophet - Make America cool again, says Make Sunsets a startup that’s geo-engineering the climate
The Conversation - Five geoengineering trials the UK is funding to combat global warming
The Guardian - How the little-known ‘dark roof’ lobby may be making US cities hotter
Research Professional News - Peter Kyle on Aria geoengineering trials: ‘I want to be all over this’
The Hill Times - Climate calling: geoengineering or bust
University of Cambridge - Can we cool the Earth? Cambridge scientists to lead research
SRM360 - Risk-Risk Analysis: Understanding the Risks of SRM in Context
Inevitable & Obvious - Climate Governance at Internet Speed
Nola - Louisiana could make it illegal to try to modify the weather. Here's what that means
AS - Goodbye to ‘chemtrails’? This state just passed a law banning them, but are they even real?
Washington Post - Unsubstantiated 'chemtrail' conspiracy theories lead to legislation proposed in US statehouses
The Korea Times - Geoengineering or bust
10 June | Online - Can We Afford to Ignore Solar Geoengineering? by The Transition Accelerator
12 June 2025 | Online - SAI as a Security Dilemma Between the United States and China: Geopolitical Implications for Policymaking by HPAC (NEW)
17 June | Germany - ACtIon4Cooling & STATISTICS workshop on Solar Radiation Modification
23 June 2025 | United Kingdom - Sustainable Cooling in the Global South by MEER (NEW)
26 June 2025 | In-Person (Canada) & Online - Solar Geoengineering: A Radical, Frightening, and Hopeful Response to Climate Change by Cascade Institute (NEW)
26-28 June | Cambridge UK - Artic Repair Conference 2025 by University of Cambridge & Center for Climate Repair
04-05 September | Washington DC - 2025 RFF and Harvard SRM Social Science Research Workshop: Governance in a Fractured World
3-7 November | Pune, India - 11th WMO Scientific Conference on Weather Modification
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Field Experiments in SRM | Climate Reflections: The SRM360 Podcast
"In May 2025, the UK's Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA) announced its initial round of awards for their "Exploring Climate Cooling" programme. The programme will ultimately dedicate £56.8 million to fund sunlight reflection methods research. Some of that funding will go towards field experiments.
There have been only a few SRM field experiments to date, and some have been cancelled due to public pressure. In this episode, we explore what SRM field experiments have taken place, how they've informed scientific knowledge of SRM, talk with some of the scientists leading those experiments, and explore how outdoor field experiments of SRM should or could be governed."
Why engage around Solar Radiation Modification (SRM) research? | Operaatio Arktis
"These interviews made during the UN Permanent Forum for Indigenous Issues and UN Climate Change Conference in 2024 capture views from scientists, experts as well as youth and Indigenous leaders working in this field. Operaatio Arktis and Green Africa Youth Organization want to shed light on why especially young people should be encouraged to participate in SRM conversation. We were happy to take this critical discussion to the Degrees Global Forum in Cape Town in May 2025 where this video was first shown!"
Human Behavioral Factors and Solar Radiation Modification | Remove and Reflect Podcast
"This episode discusses a recent academic article that proposes a framework for understanding how human perceptions of risk influence the potential development and deployment of solar radiation modification (SRM), a climate intervention strategy. The authors argue that existing models fail to adequately integrate human behavioral and cognitive processes with the biophysical aspects of SRM and the climate system. They identify key human factors like public trust, moral hazard concerns, and risk perceptions as crucial in determining whether and how SRM might be used to address climate change. The framework outlines how these factors could evolve across different phases of SRM implementation, suggesting that incorporating human behavior into climate models is essential for more realistic future scenarios. The article also explores potential future narratives of SRM deployment, ranging from increased conflict and uncoordinated use to successful risk reduction through coordinated action."
ENGINEERING EARTH: Sci-Fi Solutions to Earth's Problems - 4K Full Documentary | melodysheep
"This film explores the wildest, most ambitious, most dangerous ideas to keep Earth and humanity thriving, by protecting each of its layers – from the lithosphere to the stratosphere."
The Geoengineering Gamble: When Sky Is No Longer the Limit (ft. Hans van der Loo) | Societe Generale
"In this episode of 2050 Investors, host Kokou Agbo-Bloua dives deep into the world of geoengineering - what it is, what it isn't, and why it's so controversial. From ancient examples of human attempts to manipulate nature to cutting-edge techniques such as Carbon Dioxide Removal and Marine Cloud Brightening (MCB), Kokou explores the fine line between innovation and interference. He also examines the profound ethical, environmental and political questions that geoengineering raises, and whether these might encourage individuals and governments to become complacent."
"This is the opening session of the Co-CREATE Webinar Series. The series seeks to share the latest research on SRM research governance in an accessible and engaging manner–and, in doing so, to facilitate informed public engagement with this important yet contested topic."
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