Another approach to solar geoengineering is marine cloud brightening, which aims to make low-lying clouds more reflective by spraying microscopic seawater droplets into the air.

Trials have been ongoing in the Great Barrier Reef since 2017.

CONCERNS ABOUT ETHICS

However, ethical concerns have arisen regarding such solar geoengineering concepts.

Gerrard noted that the practice could have “huge side effects that we can’t even begin to understand.”

“All life on the planet has evolved over the ages depending on the amount of sunlight hitting the earth. “Our vegetation, the oceans, have evolved to reflect the amount of sunlight,” he said.

“We have very little idea what it will do if we change it. The second, third, fourth effects are completely unknown and so it’s scary; even doing it on a large scale is (even) scarier.”

The researchers also said solar geoengineering risks distracting from real action to combat climate change.

This could be part of the solution to slowing global warming, they said, but it could not replace phasing out fossil fuels and moving towards net-zero emissions as quickly as possible.