Harvard's Solar Geoengineering Research Program

What?

https://geoengineering.environment.harvard.edu/geoengineering

Summary

• Research lacks support, political
• US vs. China points of view: see the same science / have different goals
• Can it be used as a weapon? No

Notes

• Clear that geoeng is not an alternative to mitigation and adaptation

• "When used in moderation" and combined with emission cuts, has the potential to reduce worst impacts of climate change: models shows. Even better than stopping all emissions tomorrow.

• https://geoengineering.environment.harvard.edu/files/sgrp/files/felgenhauer_et_al_2021.pdf?m=1623159807
• There is not lobbying group in US instutions to support Solar Geoeng today. But there is potential to form one

• https://geoengineering.environment.harvard.edu/files/sgrp/files/s41599-020-00694-6_1.pdf?m=1620412697
• <0.3% of climate science budgets on Solar Geoeng in 2018
• China and US experts have similar views but differ in Governance proposals and desired climate scenarios (lower RF in US vs. China)
• Geoengineering experts push for more geoengineering than Climate experts
🤔
They see the same science. But have different goals already. Use this
• Can Geoeng be used as a weapon?
• https://geoengineering.environment.harvard.edu/publications/can-solar-geoengineering-be-used-weapon
• Basis for doing research: it has the potential to reduce risks for the world's poorest
• Fear linked to interest of military to modify climate (ex. Vietnam)
• There are comparisons being made with nuclear weapons: it could be used to wage war / Need for a global governance etc.
• This is grossly overstated / ît cannot be a useful weapon
• Weapons need to be precise (space, time and effect). Geoengineering is not
• Stratospheric aerosol injection: there are only a few knobs (latitude) ... but it will disperse accross the athmosphere / at least in the same emisphere
• Only climate effects could be generated ... not weather effects. There is then a long chain between climate effect and climate impact
• There is no physical basis for targeting specific impacts at specific countries
• Other local techs (marine cloud brightening ...)
• Would be very difficult to produce long term local effects
• Effects will have consequences in other parts of the globe
• Conceivable that it could be used for limited weather control, but still military value would be low
• Weaponisation is science fiction: low earth orbiting sunshades for example
• This is a theoretical problem, not real world problem. It is distracting. This is why it is not mentioned in any reports

• Space based solar geoengineering
• https://geoengineering.environment.harvard.edu/blog/reflections-meeting-about-space-based-solar-geoengineering