Ann Arbor Times

A recent study from the University of Michigan highlights the importance of human perceptions in the research and potential deployment of solar geoengineering techniques. The study suggests that researchers should not only focus on the physical effects of these interventions but also consider how human trust and perceptions might influence their development, deployment, maintenance, and governance.

Kaitlin Raimi, an associate professor at the Ford School of Public Policy, stated: “As we continue to warm the planet and face increasingly dire consequences for doing so, researchers are starting to seriously consider approaches that might have seemed far-fetched before.” She emphasized that while most research has focused on physical effects like cooling potential and weather pattern changes, understanding human dimensions is equally crucial.

Solar radiation modification (SRM), a technique aimed at cooling the Earth by reflecting some of the sun's energy back into space, has sparked varied reactions among experts and the public. Although SRM remains largely hypothetical with limited laboratory experiments, public perception plays a significant role in its future. The lack of federal policies combined with state-level bans reflects this dynamic.

Raimi warned about misconceptions surrounding SRM: “If policymakers and the public are scared of this technology, they will block research on it... If they (falsely) see this as a silver bullet that solves climate change, they may reduce support for emission reductions.”

To address these issues, Raimi and her team propose a framework integrating human behavioral factors with SRM’s biophysical impacts. This model considers how public trust, moral hazard concerns, and perceived climate risks could affect SRM's development and governance. Such understanding is deemed essential for creating realistic future climate change scenarios that account for both technological advances and societal responses.