On April 22, The Guardian reported that the United Kingdom’s Advanced Research and Invention Agency is set to launch a series of outdoor experiments using “solar radiation management,” or SRM, to “cool the Earth” by redirecting the sun’s heat into space. ARIA has cited the United Nations International Panel on Climate Change’s finding that “the pace and scale of what has been done so far, and current plans, are insufficient to tackle climate change” as the driving force behind these experiments. 

Many scientists have criticized geoengineering proposals, saying they fear that investing heavily in such projects would give oil and gas companies a pass to keep polluting and warning that the technology could have severe consequences for biodiversity and human rights. 

Right-wing media and conspiracy theorists quickly attacked the new program, calling it “openly evil” and scary while also using the opportunity to generally oppose renewable energy sources and other feasible climate change solutions and amplify misinformation as part of a long-running campaign against transitioning from fossil fuels.