By Sama Marwan,
As part of its efforts to tackle runaway climate change, the UK is set to approve up to £50 million in funding for outdoor experiments aimed at dimming sunlight. The Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA) is expected to announce the funded projects in the coming weeks, positioning Britain as one of the world’s leading supporters of geoengineering research.
According to The Telegraph, scientists are now considering conducting small-scale outdoor trials. Professor Mark Symes, Program Director at ARIA, stated that there will be “controlled small-scale outdoor experiments for specific approaches.”
He added, “We will announce the recipients of our funding within weeks, at which point we will clarify the timing of any outdoor tests.”
He also stressed: “We have strict requirements regarding the duration and reversibility of the experiments, and we will not fund the release of any toxic substances into the environment.”
Geoengineering projects that aim to artificially alter the climate have long sparked controversy. Critics argue these methods may carry harmful side effects and risk diverting attention away from cutting carbon emissions.
However, many scientists are growing increasingly concerned that current reductions in carbon dioxide levels are too slow, and that more drastic measures may be needed to avoid catastrophic global warming.
One key area of research is Solar Radiation Management (SRM), which includes Stratospheric Aerosol Injection (SAI)—releasing tiny particles into the stratosphere to reflect sunlight away from Earth.
Another potential method is Marine Cloud Brightening (MCB), where ships spray fine sea salt particles into the air to increase the reflectivity of low-lying clouds.
Over recent decades, experts have observed that clouds above shipping routes appear brighter than usual due to pollution increasing their reflectivity. This effect has actually contributed to a global dimming trend.
This cooling from ship emissions was so significant that when international regulations reduced sulfur dioxide emissions in 2020, scientists noted a sharp rise in global warming.
Professor Jim Haywood from the University of Exeter’s Department of Atmospheric Science commented,
“If you inject small particles into clouds, you can enhance their brightness and thus reflect more sunlight back into space.”
