Need to Know: Geoengineering and Cloud Seeding
Columbia Climate School NewsThursday, July 17, 2025 at 3:54:33 PM
Geoengineering and cloud seeding sound like sci-fi concepts, but they're real—and increasingly relevant as the world scrambles for climate solutions. Geoengineering involves large-scale interventions (like reflecting sunlight back into space), while cloud seeding tweaks weather patterns by adding particles to clouds to boost rain or snow. Both could help cool the planet or ease droughts, but critics worry about unintended consequences, like messing with ecosystems or giving polluters an excuse to slack on emissions cuts. This isn’t just theory—countries like China and the UAE are already testing these ideas.
Editor’s Note: As climate change accelerates, these controversial tools are moving from fringe ideas to serious policy debates. They’re not silver bullets—some fear they could backfire or distract from cutting fossil fuels—but with global temperatures rising, the conversation is shifting from "Should we?" to "How carefully can we?" It’s a high-stakes gamble: tampering with nature might buy time, but the risks could be as big as the rewards.
— Curated via WP Now’s
