UK government to approve geoengineering experiments to block sunlight in effort to curb climate change despite alarming risks

The U.K. is expected to give approval for solar geoengineering experiments to block sunlight in an effort to curb climate change despite uncertainty and alarming risks, according to multiple reports.

The Telegraph reported that geoengineering experiments conducted outside aimed at combating climate change are set to be carried out by the Advanced Research and Invention Agency and will be announced in the coming weeks.

The experiments are said to be one of the most expensive solar geoengineering projects in history.

In February 2021, the U.K. government announced the creation of the Advanced Research and Invention Agency, a self-described "independent research body to fund high-risk, high-reward scientific research." The agency will be led by "prominent, world-leading scientists who will be given the freedom to identify and fund transformational science and technology."

The U.K. government said ARIA will "help to cement the U.K.’s position as a global science superpower, while shaping the country’s efforts to build back better through innovation."

The U.K. government promised roughly $1 billion in funding for the "most inspiring inventors to turn their transformational ideas into new technologies, discoveries, products, and services — helping to maintain the U.K.’s position as a global science superpower."

British tech news site UKTN previously reported, "It takes its inspiration from DARPA, the U.S. government research and development agency that has played a pivotal role in developing technologies such as GPS, drones, and weather satellites."

ARIA officially launched in January 2023.

The experiments will include solar geoengineering, where particles are injected into the air to deflect some of the sun’s radiation back into space with the goal of reducing Earth’s surface temperature.

Professor Mark Symes, the program director for ARIA, said the looming threat of climate change was a strong reason to research the controversial solar geoengineering.

"One of the missing pieces in this debate was physical data from the real world," Symes told the Telegraph. "Models can only tell us so much.“

Symes guaranteed, "Everything we do is going to be safe by design."

“We have strong requirements around the length of time experiments can run for and their reversibility, and we won’t be funding the release of any toxic substances to the environment," Symes stressed.

The research would include "small controlled outdoor experiments on particular approaches."

Symes noted that the agency would be making it clear when any outdoor experiments might be taking place.

'The risks are so immense.'

The Guardian reported that possible experiments could include blocking sunlight reaching the Earth’s surface by "launching clouds of reflective particles into the atmosphere or using seawater sprays to make clouds brighter."

The New York Times reported in September 2024 that the experiments could include "injecting aerosols, such as sulfur dioxide, into the stratosphere or shooting sea-salt aerosols into low-lying marine clouds to reflect more sunlight away from the Earth."

Dr. Sebastian Eastham, a senior lecturer in sustainable aviation at Imperial College London, told the Telegraph, "Every time you fly, sulphur, which is naturally present in jet fuel, is emitted into the lowermost stratosphere, causing a small cooling effect."

"Similarly, aircraft contrails cause accidental cirrus cloud modification, but in this case accidentally causing, rather than preventing or thinning, cirrus clouds," Eastham explained. "This points to the fact that it’s theoretically possible [to cool the planet] with current-day technology, but there are many practical questions that would need to be answered before they could be done at scale."

The experiments are said to be one of the most expensive solar geoengineering projects in history.

According to the New York Times, ARIA will be awarded approximately $75 million for researchers to "examine ideas for artificially cooling the planet — including outdoor experiments to determine whether any of those ideas could actually work."

As Blaze News reported in November 2024, billionaire Bill Gates is also delving into solar geoengineering in an attempt to block the sun.

However, solar geoengineering projects to alter the climate have been heavily scrutinized because of possible negative side effects and unintended consequences that could arise from real-world experiments.

A study released in December 2024 found that solar geoengineering experiments could cause more pollution and damage the ozone layer, which would cause an increase in mortality from skin cancers.

Columbia University's Climate School noted in April 2024, "Studies show that stratospheric aerosol injection could weaken the stratospheric ozone layer, alter precipitation patterns, and affect agriculture, ecosystem services, marine life, and air quality. Moreover, the impacts and risks would vary by how and where it is deployed, the climate, ecosystems, and the population."

In February 2023, the United Nations Environment Program released a report regarding the potential risks and impacts of solar radiation modification, including nefarious motives by a rogue state.

UNEP’s Chief Scientist Andrea Hinwood stated, "A range of concerns about SRM were raised in the report and included the scenario that if SRM were to be unilaterally deployed by a rogue state or non-state actor, like a private company, it could introduce a series of new complex geo-political or security threats."

Lili Fuhr, from the Center for International Environmental Law, told CNN in 2023, "Just because we’re desperate doesn’t suddenly make solar geoengineering a good idea, because the risks are so immense."

Last month, the Florida Senate passed a bill prohibiting geoengineering and weather modification activities.

Blaze Media recently conducted a deep dive into cloud seeding and weather manipulation, which you can read here.

Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!