CURRENT AFFAIRS
CURRENT AFFAIRS
Description
A new study published in the journal Earth’s Future introduces a groundbreaking and cost-effective strategy for deploying Stratospheric Aerosol Injection (SAI) a controversial but potentially powerful geoengineering technique. The research suggests that this updated approach could make SAI more economically viable and technologically feasible, even as ethical and environmental debates around its use continue.
About Stratospheric Aerosol Injection (SAI)
Stratospheric Aerosol Injection (SAI) is a climate intervention method designed to cool the Earth’s surface and combat global warming. It involves dispersing reflective particles typically sulfur dioxide (SO2) into the stratosphere, the second major layer of Earth's atmosphere.
Once injected, these particles form sulfate aerosols that reflect a portion of incoming solar radiation back into space. This mimics the natural cooling effect observed after large volcanic eruptions. For instance, the 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo released SO2 into the atmosphere, which led to a temporary drop in global temperatures.
Understanding Aerosols And Their Role In Climate Engineering
Aerosols are tiny solid or liquid particles suspended in a gas, most commonly in the air. They can occur naturally or be human-made, and play a complex role in atmospheric chemistry and climate dynamics.
Types of Aerosols
Natural aerosols: Fog, sea salt, volcanic ash, and dust.
Anthropogenic (human-made) aerosols: Emissions from vehicles, industrial activities, and fossil fuel combustion.
Classification
Primary aerosols are emitted directly into the atmosphere (e.g., volcanic ash).
Secondary aerosols are formed in the atmosphere through chemical reactions from precursor gases like sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides.
Size and Visibility
Aerosol particles vary in size but typically range from a few nanometres to about 1 micrometre (10?? cm).
Extremely small particles under 0.1 micrometre are known as Aitken nuclei.
Larger concentrations of aerosols result in visible phenomena such as smoke, haze, smog, and dust clouds.
Views On SAI
As climate change accelerates, researchers are exploring climate engineering options like SAI as temporary or complementary measures to reduce warming. Unlike carbon removal technologies, which directly reduce greenhouse gases, SAI works by managing solar radiation.
The proposed model in the new study offers a way to carry out SAI at significantly lower costs by optimizing particle size, dispersion altitude, and injection frequency. This could make it a more accessible option for countries that lack massive climate mitigation budgets.
Concerns And Challenges
Despite its promise, SAI faces major scientific, political, and ethical challenges:
Environmental Risks: Altering stratospheric chemistry could disrupt precipitation patterns or damage the ozone layer.
Global Governance: Without international agreement, unilateral deployment by a country could create geopolitical tensions.
Moral Hazard: Reliance on SAI might reduce the urgency to cut greenhouse gas emissions at the source.
Inequitable Impacts: Different regions could experience uneven benefits or harms from temperature and weather changes caused by SAI.
Conclusion
The emerging approach to Stratospheric Aerosol Injection provides a potentially cost-effective method for temporarily reducing global temperatures. While the latest study enhances its feasibility, the technique remains highly controversial. Comprehensive global dialogue, thorough scientific testing, and the establishment of governance frameworks will be critical before any large-scale deployment can be considered.
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