This option scarcely finds mention in the panel’s 4,000-plus page report, a sign perhaps of how controversial this idea of ‘solar geo-engineering’ is. If the earth is made to reflect some of the sun’s heat, we could cool it down or counter the thermal impact of methane and carbon emissions. Unlike cloud and ocean manipulation, an aerosol screen would be a global project, not a patchy one. But this complexity must not disqualify the sun- screen option. India, meanwhile, should study the option on its own to arrive at a stance shaped by scientific findings.

Source: Mint August 15, 2021 15:33 UTC