The Biden administration is considering injecting the stratosphere with materials that reflect solar radiation to reduce the Earth's temperature

Weather of Arabia - As part of its global war to confront climate change, the administration of US President Joe Biden is studying the application of controversial geoengineering methods, through which it aims to block sunlight to combat global warming and slow climate change, according to the American "Fox News" network.

The geoengineering methods that the Biden administration is studying are injecting the "stratosphere (SAI)" layer, which is one of the layers of the Earth's atmosphere, with materials that reflect sunlight into outer space, using what is known as "solar radiation modulation" technology.

According to the United Nations, the technology of “stratospheric injection with aerosols is a potential way to reduce global warming, by reflecting the sun’s rays,” according to what was mentioned by the official American Al-Hurra channel website, Wednesday, July 5, 2023.

A new technology that may contribute to lowering the Earth's temperature

While the French news agency explained that the idea is to add aerosols on purpose to the stratosphere, to reflect some of the sun's rays. One of these projects will be pumping billions of sulfur particles into the stratosphere.

While the United Nations stated on its website that the modification of solar radiation aims to "cool the Earth's temperature in the short term, by reflecting a small percentage of sunlight back into space."

It also stated that "while some solar radiation modulation technologies, such as stratospheric aerosol injection, are more mature, and open-air experiments are actively under way, critical problems for this technology remain generally unresolved."

For his part, Professor of Climate at the American University in Cairo, Paul Mark, told Al-Hurra that the stratosphere is the second layer of the Earth's atmosphere, respectively, in the direction from bottom to top.

A continuous rise in the Earth's temperature portends the worst

However, Mark warns that the unintended consequences of this technology "can also affect stratospheric temperatures, the stratospheric cycle and ozone production, destruction and transport rates".

While the White House offered measured support for the idea of studying how to block sunlight from reaching the Earth's surface, as a way to limit global warming, in a congressional-mandated report that could help reinvigorate efforts previously limited to science fiction, according to the website. Politico".

Mark tells Al Hurra that the controversial concept, known as solar radiation modulation, is a potentially effective response to combating climate change, but it could have unknown side effects, stemming from altering the chemical composition of the atmosphere.

According to Politico, the White House report released late, last Friday, indicates that the Biden administration is open to studying the possibility that changing the path of sunlight could quickly cool the Earth's temperature.

Clarification from the Biden administration about the new technology

But it added uncertainty by noting that Congress had ordered the review, and the administration said it was not referring to any new policy decisions related to this geoengineering process.

However, the White House said in a statement accompanying the report, "There are no ongoing plans to establish a comprehensive research program focused on solar radiation modulation," according to "Fox News."

The report, which Congress requested in the policy report accompanying the 2022 appropriations law, was released the same week that EU leaders opened the door to international discussions of adjusting solar radiation. It also follows a call from more than 60 leading scientists for increased research on the topic, according to Politico.

Politico explained that the 44-page document examines some possible ways to reduce the amount of sunlight that hits the Earth, all of which may have significant drawbacks.

It should be noted that in 2016, scientists examined, for the first time, within what is known as the "Kigali Agreement", the potential impacts on ozone of geoengineering projects aimed at reducing climate warming, and warned of undesirable consequences, according to AFP.

John Pyle, co-chair of the UN's scientific committee that works on ozone, warned that pumping particulates into the atmosphere "could lead to a dangerous decrease in the ozone level," adding, "There are a lot of uncertainties."