What if we simply darken the sun?

What is portrayed in Marc Elsberg's novel "Celsius" as a slightly bizarre, definitely unimaginable future scenario, is actually a topic that is currently being researched intensively and for which large funding pots are being opened.

What does geoengineering mean?

The term refers to a range of methods and technologies designed to exert a targeted influence on the climate.

Which of these methods eclipses the sun?

It is called solar geoengineering and involves injecting sulphur dioxide into the stratosphere (around 20 kilometers above the earth's surface). The gas injected is intended to form small particles (aerosols) that act like small mirrors and reflect some of the solar radiation back into space. This can temporarily cool the earth.

Is that the solution?

According to experts, clearly NO. An artificially induced eclipse could lower the temperature on Earth for a certain period of time, but once the effect wears off, it would suddenly shoot up again.

This results in a strong relationship of dependency.

The method would be comparable to administering painkillers, as the causes of global warming and its side effects would remain the same.

The concentration of greenhouse gases or the acidification of the oceans would remain unchanged or even increase.

What other problems are there?

Solar geoengineering is a topic that is still very much in its infancy. Research into it is at best in its early stages. Experts see start-ups such as Make Sunsets, which see the economic aspect behind the theory and are pushing ahead with cowboy methods without waiting for large-scale research, as problematic and highly dangerous.

It is certainly tempting, because it is relatively cheap compared to climate protection measures and therefore tempting if no space is given to the unresearched consequences on major aspects such as the global weather.

So how can solar geoengineering help us?

Experts see the method as a way of buying us time - but it is important to realize that it can only be used sensibly in combination with massive climate protection measures.