Many anti-Gates stories and memes suggest Gates philanthropic efforts' stem from things he "wants" to happen. Claim that Bill Gates is scheming to block the sun is wrong The project originally was scheduled to have a test flight in Sweden in June 2021, but a Harvard advisory committee delayed it until at least 2022 in order to study potential impacts. The current global governance system is unfit to develop and implement the far-reaching agreements needed to maintain fair, inclusive, and effective political control over solar geoengineering deployment, they say, noting that, for example, the United Nations Security Council, dominated by only five countries with veto power, lacks the global legitimacy that would be required to effectively regulate solar geoengineering deployment., Frank Biermann, professor of global sustainability governance at Utrecht University and one of the letters initiators, summed up the signatories stance by saying: Solar engineering is not necessary. SATANSpiderman886note The Swedish Space Corporation has agreed to help launch a balloon close to the town of Kiruna, Forbes reported. One example is cloud seeding, where airplanes flush clouds with particulate matter in order to coalesce into rain. It is true that no one knows what will happen until the CaCO3 is released and then studied afterward. But the same factors that make solar geoengineering a radical idea make it almost impossible to test, even on the small scale. Microsoft founder Bill Gates (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images) The Harvard researchers have claimed that, if it were launched this year, it would cost about $3.5 billion (2.74 billion), plus. The Earth is warming rapidly as a result of human-caused emissions. Harvard researchers proposed a small-scale experiment that would spray aerosols into the atmosphere to reflect some sunlight back into space, a technology aimed at minimizing global warming. The stated goal of SCoPEx, as described on the project website, is the collection of data regarding the microphysics of aerosols in the upper atmosphere so that computer models analyzing geoengineering can be as accurate as possible: This experiment will help us learn more about the efficacy and risks of solar geoengineering. Climate research, renewables and circularity, Solar engineering would see reflective particles. Carbon capture, where emissions are taken and sequestered beneath Earths surface, is another major form of geoengineering. Billionaire philanthropist and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates is no stranger to conspiracy theories and speculation about the projects he funds. According to the team, the design for future SCoPEx flights required a balloon that can fly a 600 kg payload close to an altitude of 12 miles. Already, about 30% of the suns energy is reflected back into space by clouds and ice, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council, an environmental nonprofit group. The speculative possibility of future solar geoengineering risks becoming a powerful argument for industry lobbyists, climate denialists, and some governments to delay decarbonization policies, the authors write. One that has persisted in recent weeks involves an experiment by a team of scientists at Harvard University, known as the Stratospheric Controlled Perturbation Experiment (SCoPEx), that is testing aerosols that might be relevant to solar geoengineering. Advertisement - story continues below Now, apparently, he wants to save us from the sun. Thats hard to say right now, but all of the scientists and backers involved are only suggesting doing researchnot taking large-scale action. These are gathered under the umbrella term solar geoengineering. The most common and studied method is to reflect sunlight away from Earth using aerosol particles in the atmosphere, but until now, this has been seen as more of a fringe idea. But there's another nightmare: It's that after bringing emissions to zero, we realize in hindsight that early use of geoengineering could have saved millions of lives lost in heat waves and helped preserve some of the natural world. As previously detailed by Snopes, a fact-checking organization, the assertion is largely based on sensationalist reports about the scope and ability of the SCoPEx project. Why Trust Us? Conspiracy spillovers and geoengineering - sciencedirect.com The Stratospheric Controlled Perturbation Experiment (SCoPEx), launched by Harvard University scientists, aims to examine this solution by spraying non-toxic calcium carbonate (CaCO3) dust into the atmosphere a sun-reflecting aerosol that may offset the effects of global warming. For these reasons, and because SCoPEx does not from a factual standpoint actually dim or block the sun, we rate the claim that Gates is funding research that "would help block out the sun" as "Mostly False.". NO MORE CROPS, NO FOOD, NO PLANTS NO NOTHING!!! The claim first surfaced in 2021 and has been previously debunked. Instruments carried by the balloon monitorthat region for changes inaerosol density, atmospheric chemistryand light scattering. It's perhaps equally crazy to keep ignoring it. Geoengineering techniques such as solar radiation management (SRM) could be part of a future technology portfolio to limit global temperature change. That's why Bill Gates must block out the sun : r/conspiracy In terms of solar radiation management, that is not the case. It's relatively budget-friendly (solar panels can get expensive fast) and it performs. Gear-obsessed editors choose every product we review. Proponents of so-called solar geoengineering, such as tech billionaire Bill Gates, say techniques intended to block a portion of the solar radiation reaching the planet ought to be considered. Scientists' concerns with solar radiation management generally fall into two categories: unknowns about potential unintended consequences in the global climate system, and the possibility such a solution, by providing a technological fix, would encourage further fossil fuel use in lieu of sustainable changes. Mount Merapi, 2,968 metres high, is known as one of the most active volcanoes in Indonesia, with an eruption occurring every two to five years. The billionaire is backing a study of the controversial technology called solar geoengineering. As such, the solar geoengineering technology used for SCoPEx is still at a theoretical stage as of . If the plan is green-lit, a high-altitude balloon would disperse the mineral dust to study the viability, and risks, of solar geoengineering. Gates did not personally hatch a plan, nor is he or anyone scheming to block out the sun. ", BILL GATES IS PLANNING TO BLOCK OUT THE SUN. The ultimate aim is not to roll out some major solar geoengineering apparatus, but to collect data that will better inform computer models, researchers said. No one is suggesting we spray the clouds with calcium carbonate tomorrow, or even 10 years from now. This material may not be reproduced without permission. Her favorite topics include nuclear energy, cosmology, math of everyday things, and the philosophy of it all. Additionally, the project is not working to block or dim the sun. The Keutsch group planned its first test flight for June 2021, which would. 1995 - 2023 by Snopes Media Group Inc. UK researchers experiment with a solar geoengineering system called But theres another nightmare: Its that after bringing emissions to zero, we realize in hindsight that early use of geoengineering could have saved millions of lives lost in heat waves and helped preserve some of the natural world," Keith wrote in an op-ed published in the Boston Globe. The concerns enumerated in Daily Mail and Reuters, when quoting from actual scientists, universally fall into the "slippery slope" line of reasoning the notion that the only reason for the incremental work proposed by SCoPEx is to realize a dream of actually geoengineering the planet. Our only agenda is to publish the truth so you can be an informed participant in democracy. Microsoft founder Bill Gates delivers a speech at the conference of Global Fund to Fight HIV, Tuberculosis and Malaria on October 10, 2019, in France. Improved understanding of these processes will help answer applied questions such as, is it possible to find aerosols that can reduce or eliminate ozone loss, without increasing other physical risks?". Bill Gates' Savior Complex Spirals Out of Control, Funds Sun-Dimming Solar geoengineering involves using technology to try to reflect solar radiation back into space before it can interact with greenhouse gases. The meteor strike that might have killed the dinosaurs blanketed the Earth in a layer of aerosol dust. Due to the controversial subject matter (more on that below) and the fact that it is privately funded, SCoPEx is overseen by an outside panel of advisers run by Harvard. Claims that Bill Gates is going to 'block the sun' lack context Such geoengineering . In the case of Keutsch's experiment, the chemical will be calcium carbonate, which is essentially a chalk dust. "President Biden confirm(ed) everyone will receive their $1k gas checks this week!! A review is ongoing to determine if the proposed balloon launch alongside the Swedish Space Corporation (SSC) can go ahead. Mexico Bans Tests to Block the Sun: What Is Solar Geoengineering? Bill Gates funded the study. Keith wrote in a blog post last December there are "no easy answers" to climate change and noted that a "technology's risks depend on how it's used. In a world of wild talk and fake news, help us stand up for the facts. Prominent campaigner Greta Thunberg came out in support of the indigenous peoples and against solar geoengineering. As Keutsch has pointed out, this is not a fringe view, it is one held by several scientific bodies. Soros Has a Plan to Block the Sun to Save Human Civilization Solar geoengineering is a subfield of geoengineering, which refers to efforts to alter the environment to limit the effects of climate change. The full text of the Solar Geoengineering Non-Use Agreement can be read here. Bei der Nutzung unserer Websites und Apps verwenden wir, unsere Websites und Apps fr Sie bereitzustellen, Nutzer zu authentifizieren, Sicherheitsmanahmen anzuwenden und Spam und Missbrauch zu verhindern, und, Ihre Nutzung unserer Websites und Apps zu messen, personalisierte Werbung und Inhalte auf der Grundlage von Interessenprofilen anzuzeigen, die Effektivitt von personalisierten Anzeigen und Inhalten zu messen, sowie, unsere Produkte und Dienstleistungen zu entwickeln und zu verbessern. Its called solar radiation management, or solar geoengineering. One example is cloud. This is geoengineerings addiction problem, often called its moral hazard. Despite simmering on the internet in recent weeks, Google Trends data suggested that people are still searching for answers. BBC News edited out boos in footage of Boris Johnson arriving at the Queens Platinum Jubilee thanksgiving service. "We are not, for example, testing whether it's possible to scatter sunlight back to space, because there is no meaningful scientific uncertainty about that question.". Bill Gates backs climate scientists lobbying for large-scale geoengineering Other wealthy individuals have also funded a series of reports into the future use of technologies to geoengineer. But harmless only goes so farthe repercussions of solar geoengineering arent necessarily found in the material released, but in the unexpected effects of mixing ingredients into the stratosphere. The stories or tweets generally assert or imply that: Bill Gates is funding research that will literally dim the sun; that he "wants to" use this form of geoengineering as a tool to fight climate change; that SCoPEx specifically seeks to test the theory that "spraying particles into the atmosphere" can reduce warming; and that scientists think SCoPEx itself could produce global unintended consequences. . The arguments underlying these concerns are outside the scope of this article, but a central feature of misinformed reporting on SCoPEx involves conflating scientists' or activists' views on solar radiation management in general with fears about SCoPEx specifically. Its the instigating event of the 2013 film Snowpiercer, for example, where blocking sunlight has turned Earth into a lifeless ice ball. What is solar geoengineering, anyway, and why are scientists suddenly interested inand concerned bythe concept? Anyone new to solar panels should start with a good kit, like this one by Renology. Join half a million readers enjoying Newsweek's free newsletters. Bill Gates is working on a way to block the sun's rays so we prevent global warming. Aim: dim the Sun. In June 2021, some 30 groups of indigenous peoples from around the world called on Harvard University to abandon the Gates-backed plans to test its solar geoengineering tech with the help of the Swedish Space Corporation. Alex Kasprak is an investigative journalist and science writer reporting on scientific misinformation, online fraud, and financial crime. Again, these temperature decreases bring with them serious risks. It will only test the balloon, not release any aerosols. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. The risks of solar geoengineering are poorly understood and can never be fully known, the scholars say. Geoengineering is the term for technologies that try to alter Earths physical qualities on the largest scale possible. Bill Gates backing plan to stop climate change by blocking out the sun They're capable of withstanding high winds and snow loads, they're anti-reflective, and extremely versatile. These Experts Say Yes. The experiment is funded in part through Harvards Solar Geoengineering Research Program, and Bill Gates is among the donors to that program. Yet the debate over solar geoengineering is likely to persist, as it enjoys the backing of wealthy individuals such as Gates, and the support of key scientific institutions, including the powerful U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, which is urging the U.S. government to set up a federal research program to advance the technologies to the tune of up to $200 million. New Findings Warn Earth Could Break Key Warming Barrier In 2033, Should Climate Scientists Stop Doing Research? Scientists have devised multiple ways to block sunlight from reaching Earths atmosphere or surface. To do so, scientists need to determine whether there are aerosols that could reduce or eliminate ozone loss without increasing the chance of other risks. Now, a recycled claim says Gates aims go even higher literally. Meanwhile China is building a generator as a second sun in order to heat the earth. Tosca Austen on Twitter: "RT @ToscaAusten: Bill Gates, farmer The post referstoHarvard'sStratospheric Controlled Perturbation Experiment, orSCoPEx, which is financially backed by Gates. Those responsible must be held to account or it will happen again and again until world government. Keith, who manages a multimillion dollar geoengineering research fund provided by Microsoft founder Bill Gates, previously commissioned a study by a US aerospace company that made the case for the . Fact check: Bill Gates is not trying to 'block the sun's rays' - USA TODAY END TIMES NEWS UPDATE: Bill Gates wants to block the sun, White This may seem like an idle distinction, but it matters. The test was originally scheduled for June 2021, but will be delayed until at least 2022. Bill Gates, who recently suggested the world should eat 100 percent synthetic beef and said bitcoin is bad for the planet, has set his sights on a new foe: the sun. Fact Check: Is Bill Gates Trying to Block the Sun? - Newsweek False: The claim is demonstrably false. Gates and other private donors are supporting Harvard University's Solar Geoengineering Research Program, which had planned to launch a new study based in Sweden in June researching the. But now, Harvard says its delaying the study to examine the impact on Sweden itself, as well as the indigenous Sami people who live in the region. RT @ToscaAusten: Bill Gates, farmer, philanthropist, climate cultist extraordinaire, and the newly invested multi-million dollar shareholder of Heineken, is dabbling in solar geoengineeringthe scientific process of bouncing the sun's rays back into space. Measuring the ways that aerosols alter stratospheric chemistry can, for example, improve the ability of global models to predict how large-scale geoengineering could possibly disrupt stratospheric ozone. Rather, the project seeks to understand the potential risks of geoengineering. The most commonly proposed method is to use aerosols "the gaseous clouds formed by particles of many common materials" because the physical structure of their particles blocks and scatters light, according to Popular Mechanics. Briefly, it is true that Gates has funded research that includes theoretical studies into the feasibility of solar radiation management. After much investigation, the team settled on using calcium carbonatechalk, essentiallyas an ideal light-blocking particle. The Gates-supported study seeks to do exploratory, small-scale experiments in the atmosphere: Calcium carbonate is a plentiful and harmless mineral thats also the active ingredient in Tums. It is not a test of solar geoengineering per se. SEAS Researchers Postpone Test Flight for Controversial Geoengineering Primary source evidence proves the claim to be false. SATAN 202333Rhoda Wilson 9 A Harvard experiment named SCoPEx is supported in part by these initiatives. Bill Gates-funded Study to Dim Sunlight May Be Needed - Newsweek And its not just academics who object to the concept and practice of solar geoengineering. A controversial, Bill Gates-backed sun-blocking experiment has been postponed for ethical reasons. Caroline Delbert is a writer, avid reader, and contributing editor at Pop Mech. Further, a diffuse cloud of chalky powder gently perturbed by a propeller-driven weather balloon 12 miles above the arctic is in no way capable of altering the global climate system. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. The indigenous peoples were successful, and the test was cancelled. The experiment would measure the risks and effectiveness of the technology. Bill Gates' wealth has allowed him to donate and invest in projects across the globe. Bill Gates Is Thinking About Dimming the Sun Geoengineering is the term for technologies that try to alter Earth's physical qualities on the largest scale possible. The balloon will be used to measure resulting changes, including atmospheric chemistry. Despite the concern, Keutsch is leading a project to study such technology, which could start later this year. May 2021: Bill Gates, Harvard University back solar geoengineering to fight global warming. For one thing, the methods could have unintended consequences on global weather patterns. A doctor at the Mayo Clinic is misdiagnosing pregnancies of Trump supporters so they have abortions.