Once regarded as science fiction, geoengineering — the attempt to correct the climate through interventions such as reflecting sunlight back into space or removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere — is being taken increasingly seriously. But are these geoengineering strategies a viable solution, or do they risk even greater climate instability? With fossil fuels still central to the global economy and geopolitical tensions shaping energy supplies, some scientists and policymakers are beginning to ask whether large-scale technological interventions in the Earth’s climate will soon be necessary.
Should we turn to once controversial, last-resort climate tools like solar geoengineering solutions in a world that can't wean itself off oil, to protect the most exposed to climate impacts? Or does geoengineering pose existential risks to climatic, geopolitical, and ecological stability, while distracting from the urgent task of cutting emissions?
