Shocked Geoengineering
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Oct 20, 2025 David Keith, a physicist from the University of Chicago specializing in climate solutions, dives into the controversial world of geoengineering. He discusses how some experts are considering using techniques to deliberately cool the planet, mirroring volcanic eruptions. The conversation highlights both the potential benefits of solar geoengineering and ethical concerns surrounding its implementation. Keith also addresses the political implications of funding and research in this field, as society grapples with urgent climate crises like the devastating floods in Pakistan.
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Geoengineering Sits Between Mitigation And Adaptation
- Climate policy usually splits into mitigation and adaptation, but geoengineering sits between them.
- Solar geoengineering could quickly lower temperatures by reflecting sunlight back to space.
Pinatubo Proved Volcano-Scale Cooling Works
- Mount Pinatubo's 1991 eruption injected ~20 million tons of sulfur dioxide into the stratosphere.
- The result cooled global temperatures by about 0.5°C for the following year, showing volcanic-scale cooling is real.
Technical Feasibility And Scale Framing
- David Keith explains solar geoengineering could mimic volcanic aerosols by injecting sulfur into the stratosphere.
- He estimates deployment might be around a million tons a year, far less than existing surface sulfur emissions.