Solar Radiation Management
News:
The US is considering SRM, a controversial tool, to counter climate change.
What:
- It is also known as solar geoengineering.
- These are technologies that could counteract the rising global temperatures by reflecting sunlight away from the earth.
Cons:
- Potential changes in precipitation patterns
- Alterations in stratospheric temperatures
- Changes in ozone concentration
- Not addressing key factors like GHG concentration, ocean acidification, etc.
How:
- Stratospheric injection aerosols
- Brightening of marine clouds to increase their reflectivity
- Surface albedo enhancement
- Decreasing the amount of high altitude cirrus clouds (cloud thinning)
- Space based methods like mirrors in space
