Latest news with #KerryMcCarthy
Times
6 days ago
- Science
- Times
Enemies could weaponise new weather technologies against UK
Ministers are examining how technologies designed to combat global warming could be weaponised by hostile foreign powers. The government is working to understand the risks associated with an 'independent or third-party actor' carrying out so-called 'solar geoengineering'. The process, also known as solar radiation modification (SRM), aims to cool the earth artificially by reflecting sunlight away from the planet's surface. • We know how to cool the planet. Is it worth the risk? This can theoretically be achieved using two main techniques. The first involves shooting aerosols into the atmosphere that will bounce the sun's rays back into space. The second involves increasing the reflectivity of clouds over the ocean by spraying tiny droplets of sea water into the air. The UK government has tasked scientists with investigating the impact a large-scale deployment of these 'radical intervention measures'. In a ministerial letter first obtained by the Daily Telegraph, Kerry McCarthy, the climate minister, wrote: 'The UK is a longstanding leader on climate action and an active international collaborator in scientific research. The government recognises the need to understand the risks and impacts of [solar radiation modification] approaches that could be deployed by an independent or third-party actor. Robust scientific evidence is essential for informing responsible and inclusive governance.' • Hope to halt climate change by thickening Arctic sea ice These third-party agents could include countries taking action to lower their carbon emissions, according to experts. However, they could also be hostile nations such as Russia using solar geoengineering techniques to orchestrate environmental disasters against their enemies. Dan Marks, a research fellow in energy security at the Royal United Services Institute, said that worrying about the weaponisation of such technologies before they were fully understood was 'premature', but warned that it could be a factor in the long run. He said: 'If the technology exists, then it would be unusual if you look at a pattern of history of warfare for it not to be [weaponised]. Targeting agriculture and food, logistics infrastructure, water or other natural resources is common. • The new tech that could control Britain's weather 'Almost every country is vulnerable to some type of extreme weather, so if you can make that weather better with the technology, you can likely make it worse by deploying the technology at the opposite time.' Whether or not the technology could be used by combatants with a degree of plausible deniability was another important factor, he said. Marks cautioned that research was in its infancy, adding: 'I don't think this is something that's going to happen tomorrow and it's not clear if it can actually happen.' • The climate radicals who want to cool the planet with space mirrors and clouds He said that policing the initial civilian use of the technology would be a more pressing concern because 'weather systems don't stop at borders'. 'If a country decided to deploy that kind of technology [to mitigate climate change], then there is a real question of how do you treat that legally and diplomatically? 'Equally, what if an Elon Musk or an activist group decided to do it, and decided to do it in the middle of the ocean? How do you govern that?' Matt Ince, the associate director at Dragonfly Intelligence, said that governments had long been concerned about the potential for countries to use 'sun dimming technology' unilaterally to combat the most extreme effects of climate change. He said that the new emerging threat was 'some sort of intentionally orchestrated environmental disaster', which is an 'avenue that Russia may pursue'. 'On the more imaginative end of the spectrum it's feasible it could involve deliberately trying to use solar geoengineering technologies to destabilise the climate within a European state and create chaos and a sense of discord, and force countries to become more inward focused,' he told the Daily Telegraph. Critics of the proposed approaches argue that there are unknown risks and they distract from global efforts to reduce emissions. More than 560 academics have signed an open letter calling for an 'international non-use agreement' on solar geoengineering. The letter states: 'Without effective global and democratic controls, the geopolitics of possible unilateral deployment of solar geoengineering would be frightening and inequitable.' The UK government's position is not to deploy solar radiation modification or any climate cooling approaches, but it has commissioned teams of scientists to research the technology and identify any risks with using it. Aria, the government's advanced research and invention agency, is providing more than £50 million in funding for outdoor field trials, which include 'brightening clouds' to reflect sunshine as a potential way to prevent climate change. Aria said: 'The only long-term solution to climate change is rapid decarbonisation and that must remain the priority. But regardless of emissions cuts, there is growing concern we may pass tipping points in the Earth's system. 'Aria's programme is focused on generating fundamental scientific knowledge about whether any proposed climate cooling approaches could ever be safe or feasible — or whether they should be ruled out entirely.' The government said: 'The government is not in favour of using Solar Radiation Modification, but we support cautious, controlled research aimed at improving our understanding of its risks and impacts. 'The government supports Aria's mission to fund high-risk, high-reward transformational research programmes with long-term benefits.
Daily Record
6 days ago
- Science
- Daily Record
Vladimir Putin could attack Britain by 'blocking out the sun' as warning issued
Defence experts have stressed that Vladimir Putin could use geoengineering disrupt the UK by transforming weather systems. A warning has been issued suggesting that Russia could launch a nightmare attack against Britain by using high-tech doomsday equipment to block the sun. Defence experts have stressed that Vladimir Putin could use geoengineering disrupt the UK by transforming weather systems. It has been reported that officials have been warned about the risks of strike from an 'independent or third-party actor'. The health of humans and wildlife would be severely impacted if such an attack was to happen. As reported by the Mirror, the economic impact to industries such as farming would be huge as crops would also die and solar power plants would be useless. What is solar geoengineering? Solar geoengineering is the study of how to manipulate of the amount of radiation reaching the Earth from the sun. One method of enacting a dimming of the rays coming from the sun can be to fire aerosols into the atmosphere. The aerosols would react in the atmosphere and block energy from the sun, reflecting it back into space. The Telegraph reports that Kerry McCarthy, the climate minister, wrote in a letter: 'The UK is a longstanding leader on climate action and an active international collaborator in scientific research. The Government recognises the need to understand the risks and impacts of [solar radiation modification] approaches that could be deployed by an independent or third-party actor. Robust scientific evidence is essential for informing responsible and inclusive governance.' Sun dimming is being studied widely across the world at present as scientists look at the idea as a way to tackle climate change, global temperature rises and diminishing ice levels in the poles. The Advanced Research and Innovation Agency (ARIA) in Britain is a government backed body with more than £60m of funding to look into the technology. What have experts said? Aside from the environmental study of sun dimming, or Solar Radiation Modification (SRM) as it is known, defence expert Matt Ince, from Dragonfly Intelligence, told the Telegraph hostile powers around the world may also be seeking to exploit SRM to use against the UK. Mr Ince said: 'In a context where we've had, for example, Russia increasingly expanding its use of hybrid warfare activities, it's possible – not immediately, but down the line – that they may look to broaden and diversify the types of activities that they're conducting, to include more novel types of activity of which solar geoengineering may be one. 'Not least because of its relative affordability and the feasibility of conducting it, but also because it would allow a relative degree of plausible deniability. We've seen migration patterns being intentionally influenced by the Russian state as a way of trying to push more pressure on to European countries.' Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Mr Ince added that 'some sort of intentionally orchestrated environmental disaster' is an 'avenue that Russia may pursue'. More than 550 concerned academics recently penned an open letter to the calling for SRM use to be globally controlled. The letter added: "Without effective global and democratic controls, the geopolitics of possible unilateral deployment of solar geoengineering would be frightening and inequitable." And Dan Marks, a research fellow in energy security at the Royal United Services Institute, told the Telegraph there were questions about what could be done if a country did deploy SRM in a hostile way. He added: "If a country decided to deploy that kind of technology, then there is a real question of how do you treat that legally? How do you treat it diplomatically?" Lt Gen Richard Nugee, the former Ministry of Defence non-executive director for climate change and sustainability, said SRM had not been " weaponised" yet and there could be "too may variables" for it to have "guaranteed output". An Aria spokesman said: 'In line with the Government's position on SRM deployment, Aria is not funding deployment, and does not support, the deployment of any climate cooling approaches.' A Government spokesman said: 'The government is not in favour of using solar radiation modification, but we support cautious, controlled research aimed at improving our understanding of its risks and impacts. The Government supports Aria's mission to fund high-risk, high-reward transformational research programmes with long-term benefits.'
Daily Mail
7 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Could Putin attack Britain by blocking the SUN? Fears hostile actors might deploy 'weather weapons' as ministers order probe into 'risks'
Foreign states could 'create chaos' by dimming Britain's sun and orchestrating a natural disaster, ministers have been warned. There are fears hostile actors such as Russia could make use of solar engineering technology to reflect light away from the earth and back into space. The concept - using techniques such as deploying aerosols into the atmosphere to reflect light back into space - has been mooted as a way of limiting global warming. However, experts say that comes with major risks - and concerns have been raised within government that it could be abused by 'an independent or third-party actor'. Net Zero minister Kerry McCarthy wrote in a letter: 'The UK is a longstanding leader on climate action and an active international collaborator in scientific research. 'The Government recognises the need to understand the risks and impacts of [solar radiation modification] approaches that could be deployed by an independent or third-party actor.' In the letter seen by The Telegraph, she added: 'Robust scientific evidence is essential for informing responsible and inclusive governance.' Aria - the government's advanced research and invention agency - has allocated £50million in funding for outdoor field trials, which include brightening clouds to reflect sunshine Matt Ince, associate director at Dragonfly Intelligence, said Vladimir Putin's Russia was 'increasingly expanding its use of hybrid warfare activities'. He cautioned geoengineering may be seen as a desirable option due to its 'relative affordability' and the 'feasibility of conducting it' and added some sort of intentionally orchestrated environmental disaster' is an 'avenue that Russia may pursue'. Such tactics could 'create chaos and a sense of discord, and force countries to become more inward focussed'. It comes as more than 560 academics have signed an open letter calling for an 'international non-use agreement' on solar geoenginering. The letter states that without the limits the resulting geopolitics could be 'frightening and inequitable'. Aria - the government's advanced research and invention agency - has allocated £50million in funding for outdoor field trials, which include brightening clouds to reflect sunshine. However, the government is not proposing to deploy it for 'climate cooling'. An Aria spokesman said: 'In line with the Government's position on SRM deployment, Aria is not funding deployment, and does not support, the deployment of any climate cooling approaches.' The agency aims to 'unlock scientific and technological breakthroughs that benefit everyone'. 'We empower scientists and engineers to pursue research that is too speculative, too hard, or too interdisciplinary to pursue elsewhere,' it says on its website. The research agency was originally the brainchild of Dominic Cummings, Boris Johnson's former chief aide, and was set up in 2021 by ex-Tory business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng. The body, based in London, has been given a staggering £800million budget – of taxpayers' cash – to go towards 'high-risk, high-reward' scientific research. A Government spokesman said: 'The government is not in favour of using solar radiation modification, but we support cautious, controlled research aimed at improving our understanding of its risks and impacts.
Daily Mail
7 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Hostile foreign powers could dim the SUN and weaponise weather to attack the West, UK fears
British minister are preparing for a dire scenario in which foreign actors could weaponise sun dimming technology. According to a ministerial letter, whose details were reported by the Telegraph, the Government is looking to understand the risks and implications of an 'independent or third party actor' using advanced technology to reflect light away from specific parts of the planet. While this technology is being developed with the aim of drastically reducing global warming in a last ditch effort, experts fear hostile nations like Russia could use solar engineering to put their enemies into an environmental disaster. Kerry McCarthy, the UK's climate minister, wrote in the letter: 'The UK is a longstanding leader on climate action and an active international collaborator in scientific research. 'The Government recognises the need to understand the risks and impacts of [solar radiation modification] approaches that could be deployed by an independent or third-party actor. 'Robust scientific evidence is essential for informing responsible and inclusive governance.' Most, though not all, methods of solar radiation modification involve shooting reflective aerosols into the atmosphere. Reflective particles then bounce the sun's light out of the atmosphere, before it has a chance to get trapped and heat it up. Though these technologies are being developed for climate adjusting purposes, Matt Ince, the associate director at Dragonfly Intelligence, told the Telegraph that rogue nations could use them to create 'novel' problems for their enemies. He said: 'In a context where we've had, for example, Russia increasingly expanding its use of hybrid warfare activities, it's possible – not immediately, but down the line – that they may look to broaden and diversify the types of activities that they're conducting, to include more novel types of activity of which solar geoengineering may be one. 'Not least because of its relative affordability and the feasibility of conducting it, but also because it would allow a relative degree of plausible deniability. 'We've seen migration patterns being intentionally influenced by the Russian state as a way of trying to push more pressure on to European countries.' But other experts were less certain that states would use the technology for nefarious purposes. Lt Gen Richard Nugee, an MoD expert on climate change and sustainability, said: 'No country has yet tried to weaponise the technology, quite possibly for a couple of reasons. 'It is seen to be very expensive for no defined and guaranteed output, and also it is not possible to predict the outcome – there are too many variables.'
Telegraph
15-06-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Britain's enemies could dim the sun and weaponise weather
Ministers are preparing for a scenario where a hostile foreign power could weaponise sun dimming technology, The Telegraph can reveal. A ministerial letter, seen by The Telegraph, states the Government wants to understand the risks of an 'independent or third party actor' deploying technologies to reflect sunlight away from the earth. Experts said these third-party actors could include countries taking drastic action to lower their carbon emissions or hostile nations such as Russia using solar geoengineering to orchestrate an environmental disaster against their enemies. Solar geoengineering, also known as solar radiation modification, seeks to limit global warming by reducing the amount of sunlight that reaches Earth. One of the most researched techniques involves shooting aerosols into the atmosphere to reflect sunlight back into space. In the letter, Kerry McCarthy, the climate minister, said: 'The UK is a longstanding leader on climate action and an active international collaborator in scientific research. The Government recognises the need to understand the risks and impacts of [solar radiation modification] approaches that could be deployed by an independent or third-party actor. Robust scientific evidence is essential for informing responsible and inclusive governance.'
