INTERNATIONAL EFFORTS FOR SOLAR RADIATION MANAGEMENT: A CONCEPTUAL ROADMAP

The United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has drawn worldwide attention to data showing that Earth’s surface and ocean temperatures are increasing due to anthropogenic activity. The alarming rate of increase has prompted suggestions that emergency climate intervention might be required, on short notice and in the very near future. Such an intervention would require rapid integration and coordination of a wide range of what are currently highly segmented activities within and across nations. At this juncture, such work is fragmented.

We suggest that U.S. agencies integrate efforts under singular leadership in order to explore mechanisms appropriate for addressing the climate emergency. We further suggest that our international colleagues initiate similar activities within their respective agencies with the intent of working together to accomplish an internationally-defined climate mitigation program. While we recognize the daunting nature of this proposal, we cite the formation of NASA as an example of the foundation of this discussion.

Such efforts would include agreement with and adherence to multilateral protocols for oversight and funding for responsible intervention. Responsible intervention might, for example, explore widespread atmospheric distribution of particulate materials as a means of Solar Radiation Management (SRM): regulating the solar forcing function and hence reducing Earth's surface temperature (Teller et al., 1997). However, current efforts model injection of sulfur compounds into the stratosphere to mimic volcanic eruptions. Efforts to conduct real tests have been met with fatal resistance, partly because there are no multilateral protocols nor public involvement, and partly because the proposed materials are environmentally toxic. Public funding opportunities are lacking for SRM efforts aimed at studying, for example, benign compounds injected into the troposphere, where effects would be temporary, in order to give time for society to implement other policies that restore greenhouse gases to appropriate levels.

Integration of resources and oversight into a singular agency would facilitate the intensity of focus the world needs to solve this problem.