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February 2025 Update

Dear ,

January saw continued uncertainty around the future of climate action as the US administration appeared to put climate science in the crosshairs, and Prof. James Hansen said the 2°C warming goal was dead – suggesting “young people not be prohibited from having knowledge of the potential and limitations of purposeful global cooling in their toolbox”. Meanwhile, a research initiative looking to slow the loss of Arctic ice using small glass beads announced it was closing down. 

SRM360 continues to develop its products and services. We are delighted to announce that infographics on srm360.org are now available to download, and free to use. You can download graphics directly from articles and also some larger ones here. We hope you will find this useful. If you do use our graphics or content in your work, or if there are any you would like to see developed, we would love to know! 

As ever, we welcome your feedback, comments, and questions. In particular, if you would like to hear your questions answered on our podcast please submit them to questions@srm360.org, or use the form on our website.  

We hope that you are enjoying this monthly newsletter. If you would like also to receive a weekly bulletin of the latest SRM news and events – which is still being developed – please sign up here, and share your thoughts with us about it.   

Thank you for reading. 

The SRM360 Team 

New From SRM360

In Conversation

In our news roundup, Peter Irvine is joined by Viktor Jaakkola, Michael Diamond, and Rob Bellamy to discuss recent SRM research and announcements, including the closure of the Arctic Ice Project, and new studies on public trust and climate information.

Listen at srm360.org or on your preferred podcast platform.

SRM Academic Highlights

Permafrost melting. Getty Images

An uncertain strategy to prevent permafrost melting 

Permafrost – the layer of soil that remains frozen year-round – would release large amounts of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere if melted. A new study by Ji et al. shows that implementing SRM to stop global warming could greatly reduce permafrost carbon losses, though it would not stop them. 

Filling the gaps in SRM research 

A new study by Haywood et al. identifies scientific and technical research gaps in the field of SRM. The team specifically focuses on SAI and MCB, highlighting research gaps in process-level understanding, large-scale circulation response, and impacts.   

Identifying barriers to SRM research transparency 

Talati et al. reflect on progress in achieving the widely agreed principle that SRM research and other activities should be transparent. They highlight a lack of transparency across the field as philanthropic funding grows and private for-profit ventures enter the field. You can find details of SRM360’s funding here.  

SRM knowledge should be available to address accelerating warming 

A new study by Hansen et al. documents accelerated warming since 2010 and investigates the roles of melting ice and snow, decreased pollution, and fewer clouds in driving rising temperatures. Among other responses, the team encourages research and open discussion of SRM as a potential countermeasure. 

SAI could lead to a drier Harmattan season 

Nkrumah et al. found that, compared to a scenario of global warming, SAI would likely decrease temperatures and increase aridity during the Harmattan – a windy, dusty season in West Africa that lasts from November to March. 

Who do people trust on SRM?  

Fritz et al. asked respondents in 22 countries who they considered as experts on carbon removal and SRM, and what role they should play. Overall, they saw natural scientists and engineers as the experts (not social scientists), valued honesty, transparency and balanced reporting, and expected them “to actively engage in public outreach and debate, advisory bodies and even decision-making”. 

Community and Events

Arctic ice. Getty Images

Arctic Ice Project shutdown 

The Arctic Ice Project announced it would be “concluding its research and winding down the organization”. The Project was an effort to slow down the loss of Arctic ice by deploying “a thin layer of very small hollow glass microspheres across strategically chosen small regions of the Arctic to improve the reflectivity of sea ice”. But it ran into opposition from indigenous groups, and there were some scientific findings that suggested it may have undesired effects. SRM360 asked experts for their reactions to this news and what implications it might have for similar projects in the future. 

SRM startup launches website 

Stardust Solutions, a US-Israeli startup working to develop and patent a novel particle and distribution system for stratospheric aerosol injection, recently launched their website. On it, they lay out their mission and the principles they will follow, drawing on work commissioned from Janos Pasztor. 

Debating climate interventions  

The session Big Picture: Debating Climate Interventions at the Arctic Frontiers 2025: Beyond Borders conference discussed geoengineering ethics and governance in the context of potential interventions in the Arctic.  

Research vs. deployment 

The Centre for Future Generations explores the relationship between research of and advocacy for climate interventions in a new factsheet. It warns that confusion between the two undermines informed decision-making and could stall critical research. 

In the Media

Rising temperatures. Getty Images

Acceleration of global warming 

The paper and webinar by Hansen et al. brought SRM into the media with some outlets focusing on the gravity of passing two degrees, whilst others highlighted the climate implications of aerosol pollution reductions over recent years: Climate change target of 2C is ‘dead’, says renowned climate scientist (The Guardian), Is cleaner air accelerating global warming more than we expected? (NewScientist), How net zero plans to cut pollution have accelerated global warming (The Telegraph). 

Climate research under threat 

Climate scientists working at NOAA anticipate reductions in research grants in the wake of the Trump administration: Noaa imposes limits on scientists, sparking concerns over global forecasts (The Guardian), NOAA told to search grant programs for climate-related terms (Axios). 

Will SRM research be subject to penalties for treason in Arizona? 

Republicans have proposed a bill that would ban "geoengineering", including SRM research, in the state of Arizona. Recent articles suggested there was support for severe penalties in the state: Chemtrail believers sway GOP lawmakers to support geoengineering ban (News From the States), As climate change intensifies, GOP bill would bar ‘geoengineering’ to combat it (AZ Mirror). 

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