The sun is the star of the planetary system where we lived. It supports the life forms of the Earth, determines its climate and is necessary for survival plants, animals and people. It is also the main source of energy for our planet and will remain so until it runs out of fuel and becomes a red giant. But can we artificially “darken” the sun to cool the planet? Do we have to do it?

Climate change is still advancing and according to the UN it is “the biggest global problem on the planet”. This is evidenced by all global climate indicators and devastating reports with their impact on the oceans, greenhouse gases, cryosphere, floods and droughts, fires, cyclones … We really don’t need technical reports. 43 degrees in the shade these days in Spain (spring) and the drought, which already affects 75% of the territory, is sufficient evidence.

Greenhouse gas concentrations, rising land and ocean temperatures, rising sea levels, melting ice, glacier retreat and extreme weather events are already our daily bread and have an impact on socio-economic development, migration and displacement, food. security and terrestrial and marine ecosystems. We have done almost nothing to prevent this, and according to experts, we are “on the edge of the abyss”.

“Cover” the Sun to cool the Earth?

And here we are when a research project by Harvard University researchers who obtained a major funding of Bill Gates. His name is “Experiment with controlled stratospheric perturbation” or its acronym SCoPEx and aims to conduct experiments to improve understanding of solar geoengineering, to develop standards, mechanisms and procedures that can serve as a model for future projects in this field.

Its main goal is to develop sun-shading technology that will reflect sunlight from the Earth’s atmosphere, thus achieving a global cooling effect. Although various chemical solutions (sulphates, sulfur …) were used, in the end a spray was chosen calcium carbonate powder (CaCO 3) in the atmosphere. In addition, this (non-toxic) compound could, according to preliminary research, supplement the ozone layer by reacting with molecules that destroy it.

For various reasons, SCoPEx will take the first step in June this year, when a balloon up to a height of 20 km will be launched with a scientific team from the Esrange space center, which has a Swedish agency in Kiruna.

scientific doubts

Deliberate introduction of this compound could offset decades of greenhouse gas emissionsbut it also carries risks. In fact, research into the effectiveness of solar geoengineering has been halted by decades among scientists themselves. Opponents believe that such science carries unpredictable risks, including extreme changes in weather patterns that are not unlike the warming trends we are already experiencing.

Ecologists are also against itbecause they fear (not unreasonably) that a change in the mitigation strategy will be treated as green to continue emitting greenhouse gases with little or no change in existing consumption and production patterns.

We will have to wait for the SCoPEx results. In principle, the first flight would serve as a test for maneuvering with a balloon, exploring communication and operating systems. In the second phase, a small amount of CaCO 3 dust would be released into the atmosphere. The exact amount that would be needed to effectively cool the planet is unknown, and with the knowledge of the risks, international cooperation, which is not perceived today, would be necessary.

We are not opposed to any scientific research that helps improve the planet, but more than releasing chemicals into the atmosphere would be more effective and change global awareness faster. human activities and our economic and living systemdirectly responsible for much of the increase in carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. We are not optimistic about the political class we have and the interests of the billionaires who support it. We’ve already talked about it: Either we change or the planet changes us by force.