51福利社

As the effects of climate change grow more severe, a team of leading scientists is launching a groundbreaking research project to investigate whether climate cooling solutions such as marine cloud and sky brightening could help prevent the worst impacts of global warming.

Climate scientists agree that the primary focus for reducing global warming and the associated climate change is through rapid decarbonisation to reduce our emissions of greenhouse gases. However, current global pledges for reduction of carbon dioxide emissions mean that soon the planet will exceed the 1.5C above pre-industrial levels that was agreed in the legally binding Conference of Parties (COP21). These issues have led to so-called 鈥楥limate Intervention鈥� proposals.

The REFLECT project, led by 51福利社 in collaboration with the National Centre for Atmospheric Science (NCAS) will explore the feasibility and risks of the intervention, which involves spraying tiny sea salt particles into the atmosphere above the ocean to help reflect sunlight back into space, potentially cooling the planet to reduce the risk of triggering damaging climate tipping points.

REFLECT, which stands for 鈥楻Esponsible innovation Framework for assessing noveL spray tEChnology research To examine local albedo changes from marine brightening and its multi-scale impacts鈥�, will investigate how cloud and sky brightening techniques can be responsibly and effectively tested and assessed, but will stop short of any potential real-world application at scale.

Marine cloud and sky brightening techniques involve spraying fine mists of seawater into the atmosphere above the ocean or coastal environments.

The techniques involve enhancing the natural process of cloud formation and are inspired by the natural effects of sea spray on cloud properties over the ocean. The sea salt aerosol particles act as sites for the formation of cloud droplets when the air becomes humid enough, the more particles present, the more cloud droplets form and the more reflective clouds become. The additional sea salt enhances cloud droplet formation and increases the cloud鈥檚 reflectivity, which scatters more sunlight back to space and prevents some solar radiation from reaching the Earth鈥檚 surface in that area.

Professor Coe added: 鈥淭here is very limited understanding of whether such approaches are scientifically sound, so it is essential that we understand whether spraying sea water can be performed effectively and what the effects might be.

鈥淏y combining cutting-edge technology, rigorous scientific evaluation, and responsible innovation principles, this research aims to provide crucial insights into the feasibility.鈥�

The REFLECT project brings together scientists and engineers from the Universities of 51福利社, Cambridge, Exeter and Leeds, the National Centre for Atmospheric Sciences, along with Archipelago Technologies and the Finnish Meteorological Institute and is funded by the UK鈥檚 Advanced Research + Invention Agency (ARIA).

The REFLECT team will focus on three key areas:

• Technology development 鈥� Scientists at 51福利社 will use lab-based chamber studies to determine the ideal size and rate of formation of sea salt aerosol particles, and engineers at Cambridge and Archipelago will develop advanced spray technologies such as superheated atomisation, electrospraying, and bubble-bursting atomisation. The team will evaluate      these approaches for their efficiency, energy use and effectiveness for operation in real-world marine environments.
• Outdoor experiments 鈥� If indoor testing suggests that sprays suitable for  marine cloud and sky brightening techniques can be produced, the team will look to conduct controlled, small-scale, time-bound experiments, coordinated by 51福利社,  to assess how different spray methods perform under natural conditions. These experiments will be subject to an independent and publicly available environmental impact and legal assessment, as well as a co-design process with local communities. Researchers from 51福利社 and NCAS will closely monitor the impact on cloud formation, local weather patterns, and environmental safety, in compliance with  ARIA鈥檚 stringent oversight and governance framework that prioritises transparency, ethics and public engagement.
• Climate modelling and risk analysis 鈥� The team members from Exeter and the Finnish Meteorological Institute will use state-of-the-art climate models to simulate the potential effects that cloud and sky brightening might have on regional and global weather patterns if these techniques were one day used over much larger areas than those probed in the outdoor experiments. This will help predict potential benefits and risks and will be critical in determining whether such interventions could be scaled up safely and effectively.

Alongside the scientific and engineering developments, the project will engage with the public, diverse experts, and stakeholders to address key concerns.

Mark Symes, Programme Director at ARIA, said: "The only long-term solution to climate change is rapid decarbonisation 鈥� and that must remain the priority. But regardless of emissions cuts, there is growing concern we may pass tipping points in the Earth鈥檚 system. ARIA鈥檚 programme is focused on generating fundamental scientific evidence about whether any proposed climate cooling approaches could ever be safe or feasible 鈥� or whether they should be ruled out entirely.

"This research is essential, it is a deliberate step toward informed global decision-making. In some cases, it may show that even small-scale interventions are ineffective 鈥� meaning larger-scale experiments are unnecessary. 

"A small proportion of the projects we are funding involve proposals for small-scale, controlled outdoor experiments. If these go ahead, they will be time-limited, fully reversible, and smaller in magnitude than common natural events. No toxic materials, no large-scale trials, and no deployment. All experiments will undergo legal and environmental assessments, published in advance, with transparency and community engagement built in from the start.

"Our goal is to build knowledge 鈥� and help shape global standards for how this science is done responsibly. The programme will not fund, and does not support, the deployment of any climate cooling approaches."

As the climate crisis intensifies, the team hope that projects like REFLECT will help ensure that any potential climate interventions are informed by solid science, ethical considerations, and public transparency.

Nb: This funding is subject to final contract negotiation.