I appreciate there are very valid concerns about geo-engineering, such as greenhouse gas removal (GGR) and solar radiation modification (SRM) and I am aware of the petition to make all forms of 'geo-engineering' affecting the environment illegal. I welcomed the opportunity for these issues to be debated further as a result of the 159,000 signatures gathered and a Westminster Hall debate took place on Monday 23rd June 2025. I was particularly interested to read what the Minister responding had to say, as I am sure you will be too. The link to the debate can be found here:
Geo-engineering and the Environment - Hansard - UK Parliament
For those constituents who may not be familiar with the term, geoengineering refers to the deliberate large-scale manipulation of the climate and geoengineering technologies have increasingly become part of the conversation about tackling global warming and climate change, as well as in plans to meet the goals and targets set in the 2015 Paris Agreement.
However, while GGR technologies such as carbon capture and storage could help reverse the effects of climate change, there is a real risk the cost of installing carbon capture technology is simply not affordable and will not significantly lower global carbon emissions. I shall be paying close attention to ensure the Government's plans for investing in carbon capture and storage do not place an undue financial burden on hard-working families.
Proposed SRM technologies would reflect some of the Sun’s energy that reaches Earth back into space. This could include adding aerosol particles into the atmosphere to reflect the Sun’s rays or spraying sea water to increase the reflectivity of clouds over the ocean.
My position on SRM is clear; I oppose any attempts to seed the sky, and every effort must be made to be respectful of nature and our planet. Chasing foolish scientific schemes to interfere with the climate and the atmosphere will not give us answers to any live public policy dilemmas. The Met Office has confirmed that we do not have enough evidence to understand how effective geo-engineering like SRM might be, and we do not know what unintended consequences might occur for human and environmental health.
Available research using models suggests these techniques could be effective at reducing warming overall and reducing hazardous climate extremes, but there could be complex and significant drawbacks. For example, various research papers have highlighted that if deployed in a non-optimal way, SRM techniques could increase drought risk in the Amazon and Sahel region, increase North Atlantic hurricane activity, and affect winter rainfall over Europe
Met Office position on geoengineering research - Met Office
Ministers have said there are no plans to fund experimentation with SRM, but public concern was prompted by the Advanced Research and Innovation Agency offering £56.8 million of public money to examine climate cooling theory. It is important to say this research does not, as far as I aware, include any practical attempts to manipulate the climate, but was a study in relation to the theory of these methods.
The previous Conservative Government made clear its position that it would not deploy SRM and had no plans to do so, while still funding research to learn more what the effects of SRM on the climate would be. I understand this Labour Government has stated this is also its position and said it would only fund small-scale demonstration projects.
In January 2025, there was a Written Parliamentary question on this topic:
To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, whether the Government (a) participates in and (b) funds geoengineering activities; what information his Department holds on organisations in the UK which participate in geoengineering; and whether he plans to introduce regulations on geoengineering.
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero responded:
Geoengineering can be considered to include both greenhouse gas removal technologies (GGRs) and solar radiation modification (SRM). GGRs are important for achieving Net Zero. Government is developing GGR Business Models to incentivise private investment in large-scale projects, and funds small-scale demonstrator projects [1] All projects are subject to relevant Environment Agency and local government regulations. The Government is not deploying SRM and has no plans to do so however it funds modelling research to understand the potential impacts of SRM deployment. Currently there are no UK or international laws specifically governing SRM, but numerous relevant legal frameworks and principles exist
Geoengineering: 14 Jan 2025: Hansard Written Answers - TheyWorkForYou
Given the concern expressed by the public through the petition on this issue, I shall continue to monitor this matter very closely on behalf of my constituents.
