Climate researchers conducted a war game simulating solar geoengineering, revealing deep geopolitical distrust, with the US and China refusing to agree on international rules. The simulation, titled Exploring Geopolitical Tipping Points and Climate Cooling Strategies, brought together foreign-relations experts, scientists, military personnel, and former government officials to stress-test the world’s response to solar radiation modification technologies.
The game, held at Queen Mary University of London, saw participants representing national governments, climate NGOs, indigenous groups, and tech companies. Colleen Golja, a climate researcher, was assigned to provide technical advice to help participants make scientifically literate decisions.
The goal was to simulate the international response to solar geoengineering, a technology that promises to reverse global warming by reflecting sunlight away from Earth.
Solar geoengineering, which mimics the cooling effects of volcanic eruptions, is widely accepted as a potential tool to combat global warming.
However, its effects are uncertain and uneven, with models predicting drying in sub-Saharan Africa and more intense tropical storms in the Atlantic.
The cooling effect would only last as long as the geoengineering continued, after which global temperatures could rise sharply with unpredictable consequences.
Private firms are now exploring solar geoengineering as a commercial opportunity. Last year, a US-Israeli startup called Stardust Solutions raised $60 million, and in May it released details of new inventions it claims would allow humans to control global temperatures.
Elon Musk also endorsed the technology, writing on X: “Space satellites to control temperature and massive geo-engineering will be needed or it will be game over.”
The war game, arranged by Danielle Young, an assistant professor at Leeds University, simulated a hastily convened UN committee dealing with developments in solar geoengineering. The game unfolded over three time points: the present, September 2027, and September 2028, with each step increasing the stakes as new advances in sunlight-reflecting technology were introduced.
Tensions escalated as participants, representing the US and China, refused to sign any deal that would constrain their national interests.
A US Army major playing the role of a national security attaché said, “Worse than no deal at all is any deal that favors China.” The simulation highlighted the likelihood of a geoengineering arms race, with mutual suspicion leading all parties to believe the others were advancing their own capabilities.
Source: arstechnica
