Then, ordinary users might conclude that such a tool is “OK, let's give it a try!”
But even if solar geoengineering were to contribute globally, it could still have negative impacts, such as depleting the protective ozone layer, disrupting local rainfall patterns, reducing agricultural productivity, and altering the distribution of infectious diseases.
So far, none of that has been incorporated into the results. Moreover, climate emulators are not equipped to address very complex societal concerns. For example, would studying such possibilities relieve pressure to address the root causes of climate change? Can a tool that works at a global scale be administered fairly at a global scale? Planet Parasol will not be able to answer either of these questions.
Holly Buck, an environmental social scientist at the University at Buffalo and author of After Geoengineering, echoed similar sentiments, questioning the broader value of these tools.
In focus groups she conducted on solar geoengineering, she found that people easily grasped the concept that solar geoengineering could reduce global warming, even without seeing the results plotted in a model.
“They want to hear about what will go wrong, what the impacts will be on precipitation and extreme weather, who will control it, what the existential implications of not being able to address the root of the problem are, etc.,” she said in an email. “So it's hard to imagine how anyone would actually use this.”
Visioni explained that the group is focused on highlighting key challenges and concerns at the top of the page, adding that they plan to refine the tool over time to provide a more complete understanding of uncertainties, trade-offs and regional impacts.
“This is hard, and I agree with you, I struggled a lot,” Visioni wrote in an email, “but at the same time I came to the conclusion that it's worth writing something out and getting user feedback to improve it, rather than waiting until I have a perfect, nuanced version.”
Speaking of the value of the tool, Irvin added that seeing a clear indication of temperature drops can make a “stronger, longer-lasting impression.”
“We call for further research to advance the science on other concerns prior to potential deployment, and hope this tool will contribute to public understanding of SAI's capabilities and support future research,” he said.
