Britain's enemies could dim the sun and weaponise weather
A ministerial letter, seen by The Telegraph, states the Government wants to understand the risks of an 'independent or third party actor' deploying technologies to reflect sunlight away from the earth.
Experts said these third-party actors could include countries taking drastic action to lower their carbon emissions or hostile nations such as Russia using solar geoengineering to orchestrate an environmental disaster against their enemies.
Solar geoengineering, also known as solar radiation modification, seeks to limit global warming by reducing the amount of sunlight that reaches Earth. One of the most researched techniques involves shooting aerosols into the atmosphere to reflect sunlight back into space.
In the letter, Kerry McCarthy, the climate minister, said: 'The UK is a longstanding leader on climate action and an active international collaborator in scientific research. The Government recognises the need to understand the risks and impacts of [solar radiation modification] approaches that could be deployed by an independent or third-party actor. Robust scientific evidence is essential for informing responsible and inclusive governance.'
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