{"id":405114,"date":"2025-09-26T12:31:44","date_gmt":"2025-09-26T10:31:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=405114"},"modified":"2025-09-26T12:31:45","modified_gmt":"2025-09-26T10:31:45","slug":"quit-promoting-mad-schemes-new-york-times-blocking-the-sun-is-a-dangerous-climate-gamble","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=405114","title":{"rendered":"Quit Promoting Mad Schemes, New York Times, Blocking the Sun is a Dangerous Climate Gamble"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"723\" height=\"723\" data-attachment-id=\"405122\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?attachment_id=405122\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/0AQNj6F23EDZC9amB_0vBr5PsO7RcktqosLUaJbGYrVB_HwitxCdw0TWhEZo_JMXhixm7kxiR-ObqVjYdhSi1fJ1KxacfgpB0y4028OUceLGfvld-5uD52NKoo-HClrG6-1.png?fit=1280%2C1280&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1280,1280\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"0AQNj6F23EDZC9amB_0vBr5PsO7RcktqosLUaJbGYrVB_HwitxCdw0TWhEZo_JMXhixm7kxiR-ObqVjYdhSi1fJ1KxacfgpB0y4028OUceLGfvld-5uD52NKoo-HClrG6 (1)\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/0AQNj6F23EDZC9amB_0vBr5PsO7RcktqosLUaJbGYrVB_HwitxCdw0TWhEZo_JMXhixm7kxiR-ObqVjYdhSi1fJ1KxacfgpB0y4028OUceLGfvld-5uD52NKoo-HClrG6-1.png?fit=723%2C723&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/0AQNj6F23EDZC9amB_0vBr5PsO7RcktqosLUaJbGYrVB_HwitxCdw0TWhEZo_JMXhixm7kxiR-ObqVjYdhSi1fJ1KxacfgpB0y4028OUceLGfvld-5uD52NKoo-HClrG6-1.png?resize=723%2C723&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"A large, radiant orange sun setting behind clouds above a tranquil lake, with a solitary figure standing on a rocky shore, capturing a serene yet striking atmosphere.\" class=\"wp-image-405122\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/0AQNj6F23EDZC9amB_0vBr5PsO7RcktqosLUaJbGYrVB_HwitxCdw0TWhEZo_JMXhixm7kxiR-ObqVjYdhSi1fJ1KxacfgpB0y4028OUceLGfvld-5uD52NKoo-HClrG6-1.png?resize=1024%2C1024&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/0AQNj6F23EDZC9amB_0vBr5PsO7RcktqosLUaJbGYrVB_HwitxCdw0TWhEZo_JMXhixm7kxiR-ObqVjYdhSi1fJ1KxacfgpB0y4028OUceLGfvld-5uD52NKoo-HClrG6-1.png?resize=300%2C300&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/0AQNj6F23EDZC9amB_0vBr5PsO7RcktqosLUaJbGYrVB_HwitxCdw0TWhEZo_JMXhixm7kxiR-ObqVjYdhSi1fJ1KxacfgpB0y4028OUceLGfvld-5uD52NKoo-HClrG6-1.png?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/0AQNj6F23EDZC9amB_0vBr5PsO7RcktqosLUaJbGYrVB_HwitxCdw0TWhEZo_JMXhixm7kxiR-ObqVjYdhSi1fJ1KxacfgpB0y4028OUceLGfvld-5uD52NKoo-HClrG6-1.png?resize=768%2C768&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/0AQNj6F23EDZC9amB_0vBr5PsO7RcktqosLUaJbGYrVB_HwitxCdw0TWhEZo_JMXhixm7kxiR-ObqVjYdhSi1fJ1KxacfgpB0y4028OUceLGfvld-5uD52NKoo-HClrG6-1.png?resize=1200%2C1200&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/0AQNj6F23EDZC9amB_0vBr5PsO7RcktqosLUaJbGYrVB_HwitxCdw0TWhEZo_JMXhixm7kxiR-ObqVjYdhSi1fJ1KxacfgpB0y4028OUceLGfvld-5uD52NKoo-HClrG6-1.png?resize=800%2C800&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/0AQNj6F23EDZC9amB_0vBr5PsO7RcktqosLUaJbGYrVB_HwitxCdw0TWhEZo_JMXhixm7kxiR-ObqVjYdhSi1fJ1KxacfgpB0y4028OUceLGfvld-5uD52NKoo-HClrG6-1.png?resize=600%2C600&amp;ssl=1 600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/0AQNj6F23EDZC9amB_0vBr5PsO7RcktqosLUaJbGYrVB_HwitxCdw0TWhEZo_JMXhixm7kxiR-ObqVjYdhSi1fJ1KxacfgpB0y4028OUceLGfvld-5uD52NKoo-HClrG6-1.png?resize=400%2C400&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/0AQNj6F23EDZC9amB_0vBr5PsO7RcktqosLUaJbGYrVB_HwitxCdw0TWhEZo_JMXhixm7kxiR-ObqVjYdhSi1fJ1KxacfgpB0y4028OUceLGfvld-5uD52NKoo-HClrG6-1.png?resize=200%2C200&amp;ssl=1 200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/0AQNj6F23EDZC9amB_0vBr5PsO7RcktqosLUaJbGYrVB_HwitxCdw0TWhEZo_JMXhixm7kxiR-ObqVjYdhSi1fJ1KxacfgpB0y4028OUceLGfvld-5uD52NKoo-HClrG6-1.png?resize=450%2C450&amp;ssl=1 450w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/0AQNj6F23EDZC9amB_0vBr5PsO7RcktqosLUaJbGYrVB_HwitxCdw0TWhEZo_JMXhixm7kxiR-ObqVjYdhSi1fJ1KxacfgpB0y4028OUceLGfvld-5uD52NKoo-HClrG6-1.png?resize=60%2C60&amp;ssl=1 60w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/0AQNj6F23EDZC9amB_0vBr5PsO7RcktqosLUaJbGYrVB_HwitxCdw0TWhEZo_JMXhixm7kxiR-ObqVjYdhSi1fJ1KxacfgpB0y4028OUceLGfvld-5uD52NKoo-HClrG6-1.png?resize=550%2C550&amp;ssl=1 550w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/0AQNj6F23EDZC9amB_0vBr5PsO7RcktqosLUaJbGYrVB_HwitxCdw0TWhEZo_JMXhixm7kxiR-ObqVjYdhSi1fJ1KxacfgpB0y4028OUceLGfvld-5uD52NKoo-HClrG6-1.png?w=1280&amp;ssl=1 1280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 723px) 100vw, 723px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">From <a href=\"https:\/\/climaterealism.com\/2025\/09\/quit-promoting-mad-schemes-new-york-times-blocking-the-sun-is-a-dangerous-climate-gamble\/\">ClimateRealism<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">By <a href=\"https:\/\/climaterealism.com\/author\/awatts\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Anthony Watts<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"723\" height=\"460\" data-attachment-id=\"405116\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?attachment_id=405116\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/image-582.png?fit=758%2C482&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"758,482\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"image\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/image-582.png?fit=723%2C460&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/image-582.png?resize=723%2C460&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Illustration depicting various climate intervention schemes, including aerosols in the stratosphere, giant reflectors in orbit, cloud seeding, and carbon dioxide pumping into deep sea and rocks, with the word 'MADNESS!' superimposed.\" class=\"wp-image-405116\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/image-582.png?w=758&amp;ssl=1 758w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/image-582.png?resize=300%2C191&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 723px) 100vw, 723px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>A diagram of the geoengineering projects people have proposed to combat climate change. The laws and risks surrounding such projects are still uncertain. (Image credit: Diagram by Kathleen Smith\/Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In&nbsp;<em>The New York Times\u2019<\/em>&nbsp;(NYT) op-ed,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2025\/09\/21\/opinion\/geoengineering-planet-cooling-sulfur.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u201cTurns Out Air Pollution Was Good for Something,\u201d<\/a>&nbsp;Zeke Hausfather and David Keith argue that because sulfur particles from past industrial pollution once cooled the planet by reflecting sunlight, policymakers should now consider a deliberate version of that process. They suggest aircraft could inject sulfur into the upper atmosphere to mimic the cooling once provided by dirty smokestacks, pointing to volcanic eruptions such as&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/pubs.usgs.gov\/fs\/1997\/fs113-97\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Mount Pinatubo in 1991<\/a>&nbsp;as evidence the method would work. This idea is wrong-headed madness. Experience demonstrates geo-engineering ideas such as this have dangerous and unpredictable consequences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The authors write that \u201cgeoengineering the climate in this way is not a new idea,\u201d and claim that \u201ca more modest approach\u201d of maintaining present temperatures with controlled sulfur injections buying the world time for carbon dioxide reductions to continue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But geoengineering by blocking the sun is a dangerous fool\u2019s errand. First, the potential unintended consequences are enormous and unpredictable. Sulfur dioxide particles injected into the upper atmosphere would scatter sunlight differently depending on latitude. At middle to low latitudes, sunlight passes through less atmosphere, so scattering effects are modest. But at higher latitudes, sunlight travels through more atmosphere, amplifying scattering\u2014just as&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/search?q=sunsets+turn+red+because+of+the+increased+distance+light+travels+through+more+air+and+particles+at+low+sun+angles&amp;rlz=1C1GIGM_enUS1172US1172&amp;oq=sunsets+turn+red+because+of+the+increased+distance+light+travels+through+more+air+and+particles+at+low+sun+angles&amp;gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOdIBBzQwN2owajeoAgCwAgA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">sunsets turn red because of the increased distance light travels through more air and particles at low sun angles<\/a>. Injecting reflective particles globally would therefore not create uniform cooling. It would over-cool the polar and sub-polar regions, while perhaps under-cooling equatorial areas. The result would be an uneven, artificial climate system with consequences no climate model can reliably predict.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These regional impacts would not just be academic. Farmers in Canada or Scandinavia might see shortened growing seasons. Populations in northern Russia could face colder winters. Developing nations in Africa or Asia could sue over disrupted rainfall patterns or crop failures. Geoengineering would open a legal and geopolitical Pandora\u2019s box of claims, counterclaims, and lawsuits, as countries argue that someone else\u2019s climate tinkering damaged their own livelihoods. Even Hausfather and Keith concede in their NYT op-ed that large-scale deployment \u201ccould exacerbate climate change in some locations, perhaps by shifting rainfall patterns.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Aside from these uncertain consequences, one consequence of this scheme is certain, increased sulfur pollution, most likely resulting in acid rain which changes the pH of waters and damages buildings, statues, and other structures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">History warns us as well. The&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/scied.ucar.edu\/learning-zone\/how-climate-works\/mount-tambora-and-year-without-summer#:~:text=On%20April%205%2C%201815%2C%20Mount,or%20a%20lack%20of%20sunshine.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">eruption of Mount Tambora in 1815 produced the \u201cyear without a summer\u201d in 1816<\/a>, dropping temperatures, as seen in the figure below, devastating agriculture across Europe and North America.&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/search?q=1816+Crops+failed%2C+famines+spread%2C+and+tens+of+thousands+perished&amp;rlz=1C1GIGM_enUS1172US1172&amp;oq=1816+Crops+failed%2C+famines+spread%2C+and+tens+of+thousands+perished&amp;gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOdIBCDI4NDNqMGo0qAIBsAIB8QUGadGt89aiDfEFBmnRrfPWog0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Crops failed, famines spread, and tens of thousands perished<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"723\" height=\"536\" data-attachment-id=\"405117\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?attachment_id=405117\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/image-583.png?fit=926%2C686&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"926,686\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"image\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/image-583.png?fit=723%2C536&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/image-583.png?resize=723%2C536&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Map showing the temperature anomaly in Europe during the summer of 1816, with shades of blue indicating cooler temperatures and shades of orange indicating warmer temperatures.\" class=\"wp-image-405117\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/image-583.png?w=926&amp;ssl=1 926w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/image-583.png?resize=300%2C222&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/image-583.png?resize=768%2C569&amp;ssl=1 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 723px) 100vw, 723px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">More recently,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.usgs.gov\/observatories\/hvo\/news\/volcano-watch-pinatubo-effect-can-geoengineering-mimic-volcanic-processes#:~:text=The%20climactic%20event%20of%20June,North%20America%22%20for%20several%20months.\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Mount Pinatubo\u2019s eruption in 1991 cooled the globe by about half a degree Celsius (0.9 degree Fahrenheit)<\/a>&nbsp;for at least 20 months, disrupting rainfall patterns in the process. The eruption also depleted the ozone layer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Scientists have also raised red flags about such schemes mimicking the Pinatubo eruption. A&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nature.com\/articles\/s41559-017-0431-0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">2018 study in&nbsp;<em>Nature Ecology &amp; Evolution<\/em><\/a>&nbsp;warned that solar geoengineering could \u201cabruptly terminate\u201d and trigger rapid global warming if deployment stopped. Researchers published a<a href=\"https:\/\/www.researchgate.net\/publication\/366492128_Stratospheric_aerosol_injection_may_impact_global_systems_and_human_health_outcomes\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">&nbsp;paper in 2022 in the journal&nbsp;<em>Science of the Anthropocene<\/em><\/a>, have cautioned that stratospheric aerosol injection could delay, but not prevent, ocean acidification, and could undermine incentives for emissions reductions. Back in 2014, LiveScience argued that \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.livescience.com\/43654-geoengineering-ineffective-against-climate-change.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Geoengineering Ineffective Against Climate Change, Could Make Worse.<\/a>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These papers together strongly suggest that geoengineering via sun-blocking\/aerosol injection is&nbsp;<strong>not<\/strong>&nbsp;a benign or risk-free option and that its consequences are highly uncertain, with many potential negative side-effects that are difficult or impossible to predict. Deliberately blocking the sun is not a climate solution\u2014it is climate roulette.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Even advocates of the idea admit it is nothing more than a Band-Aid. As Hausfather and Keith acknowledge, \u201csunlight reflection is no panacea\u201d and \u201ctreats the symptoms of climate change but not the underlying disease.\u201d They also admit the risk of political dependency: once started, stopping a geoengineering program could trigger rapid warming rebound, a scenario far more destabilizing than gradual warming itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Steve Milloy, writing in the&nbsp;<em>Daily Caller<\/em>, explained why this notion is absurd. In&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/dailycaller.com\/2025\/04\/21\/steve-milloy-trumps-epa-is-right-to-be-skeptical-of-sun-blocking\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u201cTrump\u2019s EPA Is Right To Be Skeptical Of \u2018Sun-Blocking\u2019,\u201d<\/a>&nbsp;he highlighted that sulfur dioxide particles are air pollution\u2014pollution that once drove acid rain and deadly smog events. Milloy sulfur notes that particles eventually fall back to Earth, meaning a program of perpetual injections would be required. \u201cIt sounds like a great business model on paper,\u201d he wrote, \u201cbut people can\u2019t just launch potentially dangerous air pollutants into the sky without some sort of guidelines and monitoring.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The unintended consequences are not only physical but political. If wealthy nations take it upon themselves to inject particles into the stratosphere, what happens if poorer nations see droughts or floods as a result? International lawsuits and even conflicts could follow. The specter of \u201cclimate weaponization\u201d looms large\u2014as Milloy noted, the ability to control sunlight could be seen as a tool of geopolitical leverage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The NYT itself might have cooled to the idea. Shortly after the op-ed was first published, the title was changed from&nbsp;<strong>\u201cA Responsible way to Cool the Planet\u201d<\/strong>&nbsp;to \u201c<strong>Turns Out Air Pollution Was Good for Something.\u201d&nbsp;<\/strong>Perhaps other scientists raised similar concerns as have been highlighted here and the NYT decided to walk back the \u201cresponsible\u201d part.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"723\" height=\"502\" data-attachment-id=\"405119\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?attachment_id=405119\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/image-584.png?fit=1000%2C695&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1000,695\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"image\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/image-584.png?fit=723%2C502&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/image-584.png?resize=723%2C502&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Two images side by side from The New York Times featuring contrasting headlines about geoengineering and air pollution. The left image has the title 'A Responsible Way to Cool the Planet,' while the right image reads 'Turns Out Air Pollution Was Good for Something.' Both images depict Earth with a disco ball effect against a starry background.\" class=\"wp-image-405119\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/image-584.png?w=1000&amp;ssl=1 1000w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/image-584.png?resize=300%2C209&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/image-584.png?resize=768%2C534&amp;ssl=1 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 723px) 100vw, 723px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The bottom line is this: blocking the sun to cool the planet is an inherently dangerous idea. Sunlight is the basis of life on Earth. Corrupting its distribution and intensity will not stabilize climate but destabilize societies. History, common sense, and scientific warnings all converge on the same conclusion: geoengineering by aerosol injection is not a solution but an invitation to chaos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>The New York Times<\/em>\u2019s op-ed promoting intentional sulfur pollution is a reversal of decades of clean air progress, representing climate recklessness, not climate realism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In The New York Times\u2019 (NYT) op-ed, \u201cTurns Out Air Pollution Was Good for Something,\u201d Zeke Hausfather and David Keith argue that because sulfur particles from past industrial pollution once cooled the planet by reflecting sunlight, policymakers should now consider a deliberate version of that process. They suggest aircraft could inject sulfur into the upper atmosphere to mimic the cooling once provided by dirty smokestacks, pointing to volcanic eruptions such as Mount Pinatubo in 1991 as evidence the method would work. This idea is wrong-headed madness. Experience demonstrates geo-engineering ideas such as this have dangerous and unpredictable consequences.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":121246920,"featured_media":405122,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","advanced_seo_description":"Explore the dangers of geoengineering as proposed by the NYT, emphasizing the unpredictable and potentially catastrophic consequences.","jetpack_seo_html_title":"Geoengineering Madness: The Dangers of Sun-Blocking Schemes","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_wpcom_ai_launchpad_first_post":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[1],"tags":[691838314,691820918,691820439,691834883,691834725],"class_list":["post-405114","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-climate-gamble","tag-geoengineering","tag-new-york-times","tag-stratospheric-aerosol-injection-sai","tag-sun-blocking","fallback-thumbnail"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/paxLW1-1Ho6","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":376505,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=376505","url_meta":{"origin":405114,"position":0},"title":"STEVE MILLOY: Trump\u2019s EPA Is Right To Be Skeptical Of \u2018Sun-Blocking\u2019","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"04\/26\/2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin\u00a0acted\u00a0this week to stop a dubious, if not dangerous, idea: blocking sunlight with air pollution to cool the planet.","rel":"","context":"In \"Cooling Credits\"","block_context":{"text":"Cooling Credits","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=cooling-credits"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/01868412-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C750&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/01868412-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C750&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/01868412-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C750&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/01868412-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C750&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/01868412-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C750&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":376557,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=376557","url_meta":{"origin":405114,"position":1},"title":"Block the Sun? What could go wrong?","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"04\/26\/2025","format":false,"excerpt":"In the end, the man-made climate change disaster, to me is summed up by Mark Twain: \u201cI\u2019ve had a lot of worries in my life, most of which never happened.\u201d","rel":"","context":"In \"Aluminum oxide\"","block_context":{"text":"Aluminum oxide","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=aluminum-oxide"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/0Sun-dark-cloud-cover.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/0Sun-dark-cloud-cover.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/0Sun-dark-cloud-cover.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/0Sun-dark-cloud-cover.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/0Sun-dark-cloud-cover.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":376516,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=376516","url_meta":{"origin":405114,"position":2},"title":"UK Gov spends \u00a350 m to dim sun to create slightly less beach weather","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"04\/26\/2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Also obviously, there is nothing more useful the United Kingdom could spend money on than pie-in-the-sky plans for weather-control. It\u2019s not like people are struggling to heat their homes or put food on the table.","rel":"","context":"In \"Aria (Advanced Research and Invention Agency)\"","block_context":{"text":"Aria (Advanced Research and Invention Agency)","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=aria-advanced-research-and-invention-agency"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/59-591017_pc-duvar-katlar-hd-yeni-love-pink-tjn.jpg?fit=1200%2C668&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/59-591017_pc-duvar-katlar-hd-yeni-love-pink-tjn.jpg?fit=1200%2C668&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/59-591017_pc-duvar-katlar-hd-yeni-love-pink-tjn.jpg?fit=1200%2C668&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/59-591017_pc-duvar-katlar-hd-yeni-love-pink-tjn.jpg?fit=1200%2C668&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/59-591017_pc-duvar-katlar-hd-yeni-love-pink-tjn.jpg?fit=1200%2C668&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":421592,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=421592","url_meta":{"origin":405114,"position":3},"title":"Blocking the sun: The folly of solar geoengineering","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"01\/16\/2026","format":false,"excerpt":"From Greek mythology\u2019s Icarus, whose wax wings melted after he flew too close to the sun, to Goethe\u2019s \u201cThe Sorcerer\u2019s Apprentice,\u201d who unleashed forces he couldn\u2019t control, our culture warns us that hubris rarely ends well.","rel":"","context":"In \"Climate change\"","block_context":{"text":"Climate change","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=climate-change"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/0AQOuD0soQicewc_Vq1_77ry4w7kxVzX9LQaeJvbMBVS3gEujEc4HkH4W7qFbLK3IDmWadZl5aAEXRsPdZt9TFZ0hzCgKFdj4IOYx_BQFdFHbnSdaSGIIH7W3w3Mp3E6J-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C865&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/0AQOuD0soQicewc_Vq1_77ry4w7kxVzX9LQaeJvbMBVS3gEujEc4HkH4W7qFbLK3IDmWadZl5aAEXRsPdZt9TFZ0hzCgKFdj4IOYx_BQFdFHbnSdaSGIIH7W3w3Mp3E6J-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C865&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/0AQOuD0soQicewc_Vq1_77ry4w7kxVzX9LQaeJvbMBVS3gEujEc4HkH4W7qFbLK3IDmWadZl5aAEXRsPdZt9TFZ0hzCgKFdj4IOYx_BQFdFHbnSdaSGIIH7W3w3Mp3E6J-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C865&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/0AQOuD0soQicewc_Vq1_77ry4w7kxVzX9LQaeJvbMBVS3gEujEc4HkH4W7qFbLK3IDmWadZl5aAEXRsPdZt9TFZ0hzCgKFdj4IOYx_BQFdFHbnSdaSGIIH7W3w3Mp3E6J-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C865&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/0AQOuD0soQicewc_Vq1_77ry4w7kxVzX9LQaeJvbMBVS3gEujEc4HkH4W7qFbLK3IDmWadZl5aAEXRsPdZt9TFZ0hzCgKFdj4IOYx_BQFdFHbnSdaSGIIH7W3w3Mp3E6J-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C865&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":325673,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=325673","url_meta":{"origin":405114,"position":4},"title":"Wash Post Editorial Board follows orders of megalomaniac billionaires: \u2018Humans might need to re-engineer the climate\u2019 \u2013 Tout injecting \u2018100,000 tons of sulfur per year into lower stratosphere to block solar rays\u2019","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"05\/03\/2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Washington Post Editorial Board: \u2018Humans might need to re-engineer the climate\u2019 \u2013 \u201cA\u00a0conversation about the risks and potential benefits\u00a0of re-engineering the climate is urgently needed.\u201d \u2026 \u201cClimate engineering scholars David Keith at the University of Chicago and Wake Smith at Yale think it would take no more than 15 souped-up\u2026","rel":"","context":"In \"Climate change\"","block_context":{"text":"Climate change","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=climate-change"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/0stratosphere.jpg?fit=1200%2C797&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/0stratosphere.jpg?fit=1200%2C797&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/0stratosphere.jpg?fit=1200%2C797&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/0stratosphere.jpg?fit=1200%2C797&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/0stratosphere.jpg?fit=1200%2C797&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":352859,"url":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?p=352859","url_meta":{"origin":405114,"position":5},"title":"More \u2018Settled\u2019 Climate Science","author":"uwe.roland.gross","date":"11\/30\/2024","format":false,"excerpt":"From the University of East Anglia and the \u201chas anyone told Al Gore?\u201d department comes this finding that speaks to the huge complexity of Earth\u2019s atmosphere and it\u2019s systems. Oceans emit sulfur and cool the climate more than previously thought.","rel":"","context":"In \"Aerosols\"","block_context":{"text":"Aerosols","link":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/?tag=aerosols"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/00s_14_01_230117_SEL_AUTOR_0017.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/00s_14_01_230117_SEL_AUTOR_0017.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/00s_14_01_230117_SEL_AUTOR_0017.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/00s_14_01_230117_SEL_AUTOR_0017.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/00s_14_01_230117_SEL_AUTOR_0017.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/climatescience.press\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/0AQNj6F23EDZC9amB_0vBr5PsO7RcktqosLUaJbGYrVB_HwitxCdw0TWhEZo_JMXhixm7kxiR-ObqVjYdhSi1fJ1KxacfgpB0y4028OUceLGfvld-5uD52NKoo-HClrG6-1.png?fit=1280%2C1280&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/405114","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/121246920"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=405114"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/405114\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":405123,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/405114\/revisions\/405123"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/405122"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=405114"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=405114"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatescience.press\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=405114"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}