Exploring Climate Cooling
Backed by £56.8m, this programme will explore whether approaches designed to delay, or avert, climate tipping points could be feasible, scalable, and safe.
Our goal
To gather critical missing data and answer fundamental scientific questions on approaches that could help prevent humanity from experiencing climate tipping points
Why this programme
Climate change could cause global temperatures to increase by several degrees by the end of the century. There is a real risk that heating already locked-in to the planet could precipitate climate tipping points with serious and irreversible consequences around the world.
While the only sustainable way to reduce the risk of such tipping events is through decarbonisation, the risk of crossing one or more in the near future has driven increased interest in approaches to actively reduce global temperatures in the shorter term.
Yet, there is a dearth of robust data on these approaches, and we have a limited understanding of whether such interventions are scientifically sound, how they might be steered, or the full extent of their potential impacts.
What we’re shooting for
This programme will begin to explore whether approaches designed to delay, or avert, climate tipping points could be feasible, scalable, and safe.
Meet the Programme Director
Mark is an electrochemist with a 15-year career developing sustainable fuels in the drive towards net zero. He joined ARIA from the University of Glasgow, where he is Professor of Electrochemistry and Electrochemical Technology.
"Decarbonisation is vital, but our current progress puts us at risk of triggering a large number of temperature-induced climate tipping points. This programme will explore critical unanswered questions as to how (or whether) we might cool the Earth safely and responsibly on the timescales required to avoid climate catastrophe."
We're committed to responsible stewardship, transparency, accountability + good governance
All our funded research in this programme must:
- Deliver valuable knowledge that can address the most pressing critical scientific questions surrounding these approaches
- Minimise risk by design
- Engage with, and respect local communities
- Be transparent, open and honest at programme and project level
- Communicate proactively
- Remain cognisant of the broader implications of research
- Be willing to adapt to lessons learned
- Adhere to our well-defined framework for responsible research.
The programme's independent oversight committee, made up of international experts, is designed to strengthen the governance of the programme.
Featured insights
UK to explore if technologies to artificially cool the Earth could be “responsibly and ethically" developed
New York Times
"As climate change continues unabated, the goal is to examine technologies that could artificially cool the Earth “responsibly and ethically.”"
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Programme Directors
Our Programme Directors are exceptional scientists and engineers with the curiosity to explore uncharted territory
How we work
We seek out exceptional scientists and engineers and empower them with the resources and autonomy to turn their ideas into reality