EU Launches €35 Million Tender to Detect Rogue Solar Radiation Modification Efforts

On Tuesday, the European Union announced a tender worth €35 million (US$39.4 million) to support research and coordination efforts, particularly focusing on identifying unauthorized attempts to modify the Earth's atmosphere by blocking sunlight. This initiative, launched by Horizon Europe, marks an initial move towards organizing actions related to Solar Radiation Modification, a developing and contentious technology that could potentially cool the planet if temperatures hit critical levels. The initiative comes in response to rising fears that either governments or private entities could engage in unapproved climate intervention experiments as global temperatures continue to climb. A recent UN report highlighted that global temperatures may exceed the crucial 1.5 degrees Celsius (1.8 degrees Fahrenheit) threshold within a few years, potentially reaching 2.6 degrees without significant policy interventions. Increasingly frequent climate change effects, such as wildfires, droughts, hurricanes, and severe flooding, are already being observed.