How geoengineering technologies can combat heatwave impacts

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Governments can also support or subsidise the development of geoengineering technologies that aim to reduce or counteract the impacts of climate change. According to research, Geoengineering strategies can be broadly classified into two types of intervention: solar radiation management (SRM) and carbon dioxide removal (CDR). Geoengineering Monitor provides examples of CDR and SRM technologies that could be implemented at a large scale to combat climate change.

Cloud brightening is an example of a solar radiation management technique. It aims to make clouds brighter, reflecting a fraction of incoming sunlight into space to offset rising temperatures.

Elevated GHG atmospheric concentrations have increased the difference between the amount of the sun's energy absorbed in the Earth's atmosphere and the amount reflected into space. This imbalance is called radiative forcing. According to NOAA, the Earth's radiative forcing has increased from Earth, and the amount of energy radiated back to space has risen from 1.798 W/m2 in 1979 to 3.398 W/m2 in 2022, increasing global temperatures.

SRM will increase the Earth's ability to deflect sunlight by raising the albedo of the atmosphere or the Earth's surfaces, thereby reducing most global warming effects from rising GHG emissions.

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Marine cloud brightening is not a "silver bullet" for climate change. Scientists have made it clear: the priority remains to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and tackle the root causes of climate change head-on. However, in a world where every bit helps, exploring innovative solutions like cloud brightening offers a glimmer of hope and a potential tool in our climate action toolkit.