Once confined to science fiction, solar geoengineering is now moving into real-world experimentation, raising the risk of misuse by hostile actors. Also known as solar radiation management, this set of novel technologies – such as stratospheric aerosol injection and marine cloud brightening – aims to artificially slow the rise in global temperatures by reducing the amount of sunlight absorbed by the Earth’s surface. To date, their primary purpose has been to tackle the symptoms of accelerating climate change. However, these technologies also pose dual-use risks: alongside unintended environmental consequences, they could be exploited by powers seeking to tilt the geopolitical balance to cause climate-related disruption. As the UK government prioritises investment in solar geoengineering research and development, it has a crucial window to help shape international norms. Without adequate safeguards, these technologies could become tools of geopolitical coercion in the years ahead.
Unnatural Disasters: The Next Front in Russia’s Hybrid War | Royal United Services Institute
