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Scopex : Stratospheric Controlled Perturbation Experiment Geoengineering Briefing February 7, 2021 SCoPEx : Stratospheric Controlled Perturbation Experiment STRATOSPHERIC AEROSOL balloon, monitor the injected INJECTION (SAI) particles for chemical reactions SCoPEx: Planned field trials As the climate crisis accelerates, with the atmosphere and measure a few institutions have started how much sunlight they block from LOCATION research and development on reaching the earth. The data will be Esrange Space Centre, Kiruna, Sweden geoengineering technologies that used for modelling, aiming to predict do not reduce the greenhouse gases larger-scale effects of SAI and to RESEARCHERS IN CHARGE Frank Keutsch (Principal Investigator), David that cause climate change, but prepare for larger-scale experiments. Keith (Mission Scientist), based at Harvard aim to mask their warming effects University. instead. SUN-DIMMING TECHNOLOGY TO BE TESTED IN SWEDEN OBJECTIVES The project stated objectives are: One of the most controversial of In December 2020, after several To carry field experiments to advance these potential approaches is unsuccessful plans to conduct understanding of solar geoengineering Stratospheric Aerosol Injection SCoPEx field tests in Tucson, To develop norms, mechanisms and practices (SAI). SAI proposes to reflect Arizona and in New Mexico, SCoPEx that can serve as templates for future solar geoengineering field experiments sunlight back into space in order announced plans to move the first to lower the earth’s temperature part of their experiment to Sweden. KEY DATES by spraying large quantities of tiny The test is now planned to be hosted The first field test flight is scheduled for June reflective particles high into the at the Swedish Space Corporation 2021 and intends to test the hardware. Further flights will be announced in the fall of 2021, Earth’s stratosphere. in Kiruna, northern Sweden. The these flights may release particles into the first flight, with the aim of testing stratosphere. The project has indicated that it The SCoPEx project, hosted at equipment, is scheduled for June will use calcium carbonate for the first particle Harvard University through the 2021, and is a prerequisite for the release, previously they had mentioned sulfur particles and other substances. Harvard´s Solar Geoengineering ensuing flights where SCoPEx Research Program aims to plans to disperse particles into the make experiments towards the atmosphere. way of engineering the climate. This can development of SAI. The main create a false sense that a technological researchers are Frank Keutsch RISKS AND IMPACTS ASSOCIATED quick-fix could tackle the climate crisis, and David Keith. The stated aim of WITH SAI which risks deflating the necessary pressure SCoPEx field tests is to disperse Members of the SCoPEx team to rapidly phase out fossil fuel production particles from a high-altitude promote SAI as a quick and cheap and provides the fossil fuel industry with an www.geoengineeringmonitor.org 1 Geoengineering Briefing February 7, 2021 argument to delay action and thus at risk of being further damaged by open-air testing of SAI won´t provide worsen climate change. SAI, which would undermine efforts information about the effects of SAI to restore the ozone layer on climate, but would set the stage Computer models and simulations for additional, larger-scale testing suggest that SAI is likely to produce CHALLENGES FOR GOVERNANCE of a technology that should never significant negative impacts Due to the serious potential social, be deployed. Therefore, the most and changes in weather and economic and environmenta appropriate governance for solar monsoon patterns, which would impacts and the need to maintain geoengineering is a ban, in line with be disproportionately borne by the its deployment over very long the precautionary principle. Based Global South and have particularly time, solar geoengineering carries on this principle, 196 countries severe impacts on the world’s most insurmountable challenges for agreed to a de facto moratorium vulnerable populations. governance. Once started, the world on geoengineering under the UN would need to continuously release Convention on Biological Diversity The major risks identified by those aerosols, likely for hundreds or even in 2010. Noting the significant models include endangering the thousands of years, to maintain uncertainties and very serious risks source of food and water for two the cooling effects. Because SAI associated with the technology, the billion people and causing severe would only suppress temperature Intergovernmental Panel on Climate droughts in Africa and Asia1. Impacts Change did not include SAI in any of its rise but not stop CO2 from building would vary significantly by region up in the atmosphere, if SAI were modeled pathways for keeping earth and in combination with the variable suddenly stopped it would cause a below 1.5° effects of climate change itself, even rapid temperature increase from potentially devastating impacts SCOPEX ADVISORY COMMITTEE all the built up CO2 – a “termination might be difficult shock”, which would In 2020, Harvard´s Solar to detect until Geoengineering Research Program There is no justification have detrimental after significant consequences for established an Advisory Committee damages have to test a technology that ecosystems and to advise on SCoPEx and to attempt already occurred. poses such extensive risks communities2. to address contentious issues around Because of the Stopping SAI once their concept of geoengineering while at the same time unequal impacts it has started could governance. The members of the among regions, doing nothing to reduce the be more dangerous advisory committee are exclusively SAI also has the U.S.-based and are primarily scientists drivers of climate change than starting it potential to be in the first place, and academics. Convening an advisory weaponized. and ocean acidification locking the world committee with members appointed into an irresolvable by a small group of scientists selected Ocean acidification would continue nightmare. by Harvard University officials related to worsen since SAI masks the to the project is in no way a path warming effects of CO2 but does There is no justification to test towards multilateral democratic not reduce the levels of CO2 in the a technology that poses such governance of SAI. And it is far from atmosphere that cause ocean extensive risks while at the same an inclusive, democratic, process with acidification. Depending on the time doing nothing to reduce the the communities and rights holders reflective particles eventually drivers of climate change and that would be affected by SAI. deployed, the ozone layer could be ocean acidification. Small scale www.geoengineeringmonitor.org2 2 Geoengineering Briefing February 7, 2021 BACKGROUND INFORMATION FURTHER READING Doyle (2020) Planned Harvard SCoPEx was announced in 2015, Raymond Pierrehumbert, (2019) balloon test in Sweden stirs launched in 2017, and is not the first There is no Plan B for Dealing with solar geoengineering unease, in: attempt to conduct an outdoor trial the Climate Crisis. In: Bulletin of the Reuters, published: December in solar geoengineering at Harvard Atomic Scientists. Vol 75 issue 5. 18, 2020, https://news.trust.org/ University. In 2012, David Keith Published August 16, 2019. https:// item/20201218140025-po1gu/ announced plans to release particles www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.108 from a balloon in New Mexico. The 0/00963402.2019.1654255?scroll=top Fialka (2020) Pandemic Leads announcement came soon after a &needAccess=true Geoengineering Experiment to controversial proposed field test Move from U.S. to Sweden, in of another solar geoengineering Heinrich Böll Foundation and Scientific American, published: scheme to test equipment for SAI ETC Group (2021) Geoengineering December 17, 2020, https://www. – the British government-funded – Technology Briefing: scientificamerican.com/article/ Stratospheric Particle Injection for Stratospheric Aerosol Injection pandemic-leads-geoengineering- Climate Engineering (SPICE) – was (SAI), January 2021, https://www. experiment-to-move-from-u-s-to- cancelled after a global outcry. The geoengineeringmonitor.org/2021/02/ sweden/ planned Harvard experiment in 2012 stratospheric_aerosol_injection/ was cancelled too, but then revived in 2017. Biofuelwatch, ETC Group and Heinrich Böll Foundation (2018), SOURCES The Big Bad Fix - The case against 1Robock, Alan, et al. (2010) A Test geoengineering for Geoengineering? Science https://www.geoengineeringmonitor. Magazine Volume 327 https:// org/2017/12/3087/ climate.envsci.rutgers.edu/pdf/ TestForGeoengineeringScience2010. MEDIA COVERAGE pdf Cohen (2021) A Bill Gates Venture Aims To Spray Dust Into The 2Trisos, C.H,. et al (2018) Potentially Atmosphere To dangerous consequences for Block The Sun. What Could Go biodiversity of solar geoengineering Wrong?, in: Forbes, published: implementation and termination. January 21, 2020, https:// Nature Ecology & Evolution 2, pp www.forbes.com/sites/ 475-482. arielcohen/2021/01/11/bill- https://www.nature.com/articles/ gates-backed-climate-solution- s41559-017-0431-0 gains-traction-but- concerns- linger/?sh=3194fa21793b www.geoengineeringmonitor.org2 2.
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