Overview

• The UK government, through ARIA, has announced £56.8 million in funding for 21 geoengineering projects aimed at exploring temporary climate cooling methods.
• Research categories include ice sheet thickening, marine cloud brightening, stratospheric particle studies, and space-based sunshade modelling.
• Small-scale outdoor experiments will test techniques such as spraying seawater to brighten clouds, pumping water to thicken Arctic ice, and studying sun-reflective particles in the stratosphere.
• All field trials require rigorous environmental impact assessments, public consultation, and independent oversight led by climate expert Prof. Piers Forster.
• Critics warn of potential risks, ethical concerns, and the possibility of geoengineering distracting from emission reductions, while proponents stress the need for precautionary research to prevent climate tipping points.