Podcast Summary
A rogue startup attempts solar geoengineering with weather balloons: A startup, Make Sunsets, is experimenting with solar geoengineering through weather balloons, potentially causing global temperature drops and raising concerns for rainfall, agriculture, ecosystems, governance, and decarbonization efforts.
Despite the unknowns and ethical concerns surrounding solar geoengineering, a rogue startup named Make Sunsets is pushing the boundaries by attempting to implement it through the launch of weather balloons filled with sulfur dioxide into the stratosphere. This approach, which could potentially cause global temperatures to drop, raises questions about the potential consequences for rainfall patterns, agriculture, and ecosystems, as well as governance and the potential distraction from necessary decarbonization efforts. The founders of Make Sunsets, Luke Iseman and Andrew Song, are experimenting with producing sulfur dioxide in a hotel room, showcasing the real-world application of academic theory and potentially opening the door to an uncontrolled climate experiment.
Entrepreneurs Release Sulfur Dioxide in Public: Hotel Room and Park Experiment: Two entrepreneurs conducted a controversial experiment releasing sulfur dioxide gas in a hotel room and later at a park, using unconventional methods and facing challenges, but experienced no regulatory repercussions due to minimal release.
Luke and Andrew, two entrepreneurs, conducted an unconventional experiment in a hotel room and later at a park in Reno, involving the production and release of sulfur dioxide gas using fungicide. They faced challenges with their initial method and had to adapt by using a charcoal grill and a shop vac. The process raised concerns, and they assured the participants it was similar to taking a bong hit. Despite regulatory concerns from past experiments and the potential for public backlash, their launch near Reno faced no regulatory repercussions due to the minimal amount of sulfur dioxide released. The experiment took place in public areas, causing some discomfort to bystanders with drifting sulfur smoke.
Unregulated release of sulfur dioxide could mark start of uncontrolled climate experiments: Unregulated use of solar geoengineering, a radical climate solution involving sulfur dioxide aerosols, poses risks like acid rain, ozone layer damage, and unpredictable consequences
The unregulated release of sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere by individuals or groups, such as the group behind Make Sunset's balloon launch, could potentially mark the beginning of uncontrolled climate experiments. Solar geoengineering, a proposed method of altering the atmosphere to temporarily block the sun, is a highly controversial and risky approach to addressing climate change. It involves continuously releasing aerosols like sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere, which could have unpredictable consequences, including acid rain, impacts on the ozone layer, and detrimental shifts in local environments. Luke Eiseman and Andrew Song, the individuals behind Make Sunset, are not atmospheric scientists and have a background in the startup world, raising questions about their qualifications and intentions for engaging in such a radical and potentially dangerous proposal. The lack of federal regulation surrounding solar geoengineering makes it an open door for rogue actors to push the boundaries of this uncharted territory. Despite the potential risks, there is ongoing debate within the scientific community regarding the viability and ethics of solar geoengineering as a solution to climate change.
Make Sunset's Controversial Business Model in Geoengineering: Make Sunset's business model, based on selling cooling credits through unproven solar geoengineering, risks delegitimizing the entire field due to lack of scientific evidence.
Make Sunset's business model, which involves selling cooling credits based on the unproven claim that they can cool the planet through solar geoengineering, is a controversial and scientifically unbacked approach that risks delegitimizing the entire field of geoengineering. I met Andrew from Make Sunset at a conference in October, and while I was impressed by their determination to save the world, I was concerned about the lack of scientific evidence supporting their business model. Make Sunset's cooling credits are based on the idea that injecting sulfur dioxide into the stratosphere can offset carbon dioxide emissions, but there is no scientific evidence to back up this claim. Dr. Kevin Surprise, a scholar of geoengineering at Mount Holyoke College, expressed concern that this approach could make the field of geoengineering look amateurish and unscientific. Dr. Holly Buck, a geoengineering expert at the University of Buffalo, shares this concern and fears that the project could delegitimize the entire field of geoengineering. It's important to remember that while scientists are working diligently to research and understand the potential of geoengineering, it's crucial that any applications of this technology are based on sound scientific principles and not just marketing schemes.
Geoengineering risks and uncertainties: Geoengineering, specifically solar radiation management, comes with significant risks and uncertainties, including moral hazard, environmental impacts, geopolitical tensions, and lack of addressing root cause of climate change. Research should be done with caution and focus on reducing carbon emissions and transitioning to renewable energy sources.
While geoengineering, specifically solar radiation management through sulfur dioxide injections, may seem like a potential solution to mitigate climate change, it comes with significant risks and uncertainties. These risks include moral hazard, environmental impacts, geopolitical tensions, and the fact that it doesn't actually address the root cause of climate change. The potential negative consequences of geoengineering at scale are not fully understood, and the unknowns could lead to unwanted and potentially disastrous outcomes. Furthermore, the distraction from focusing on reducing carbon emissions and transitioning to renewable energy sources could delay necessary progress in addressing climate change. It's crucial to continue researching geoengineering, but it should be done with caution and a clear understanding of the potential risks.
Exploring Geoengineering through Make Sunsets: Geoengineering research needs international, publicly funded efforts and responsible governance, while provocative projects like Make Sunsets spark conversations but their impact remains uncertain.
While some individuals are taking unconventional approaches to address climate change through geoengineering projects like Make Sunsets, the scientific community emphasizes the need for international, publicly funded research and governance to ensure potential impacts are understood and addressed responsibly. The slow, deliberate approach to geoengineering research is often met with frustration, leading some to more radical actions. Make Sunsets, while not actual geoengineering, serves as a provocative conversation starter rather than a solution. The scientists behind groundbreaking technologies, like the Saturn V Rocket, didn't directly experience their impact, but projects like Make Sunsets bring geoengineering research out of the literature and into the real world. However, its material impact on the geoengineering field remains to be seen.
Unauthorized Geoengineering Experiments: A New Reality: Despite concerns from environmental organizations, unauthorized geoengineering experiments are on the rise, highlighting the need for a balanced and inclusive dialogue on the potential risks and benefits.
The world is witnessing an increasing disregard for environmental concerns in the pursuit of geoengineering projects, as evidenced by the first unauthorized sunset-altering experiment in California and the recent rogue geoengineering experiment in the UK. These actions mark a shift in the landscape, where strongly worded letters from environmental organizations are no longer deterring researchers from conducting such experiments. This moment signifies a critical turning point in our approach to climate change solutions, highlighting the urgent need for a more balanced and inclusive dialogue on the potential risks and benefits of geoengineering. Alejandro de la Garza, a staff writer at Time Magazine, reported on this story, and we have a link to his article in the show notes. This episode was produced and written by Alexandria Herr, who is moving on to work for Rewiring America. We'll miss you, Alexandria! Our engineer for this episode was Sean Marquand, and original music came from Echo Finch and Blue Dot Sessions. Postscript Media is supported by Prelude Ventures, a venture capital firm partnering with entrepreneurs to address climate change. Don't forget to share this episode with someone who would enjoy it and leave a review! We'll catch up with you on social media and next week on The Carbon Copy. I'm Steven Lacey.
