As global temperatures continue to rise due to anthropogenic climate change, there is a need to stop or slow this warming trend. Mitigation and adaption attempts have fallen short when it comes to climate change and the warming needs to be stopped before earth reaches the 2°C tipping point of no return. Previous studies have shown geoengineering provides the means to stop or slow the warming. Literature on geoengineering has determined the best solution to climate change is mitigation, but geoengineering is a secondary plan that may be used if mitigation attempts do not succeed.

Through solar radiation management, geoengineering can lower global temperatures.  Reflecting incoming solar radiation back into space using cloud seeding and stratospheric aerosols will lower radiation reaching earth’s surface and lower temperatures. Geoengineering will be effective at lowering global temperatures, but it is not a solution to climate change. Geoengineering offers extra time until carbon emissions are cut so the earth will not enter a new stable state due to rising temperatures. The best way to combat climate change is through a dual mitigation and geoengineering strategy. All in all, geoengineering is a plan B for climate change, but it could have unintended consequences in the future and that’s why mitigation should be the world’s primary focus.

Resource:

http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/future_tense/2016/01/solar_geoengineering_is_not_a_quick_fix.html