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Last edited 05 May 2025

Solar radiation modification

Global Warming of 1.5 ºC, Glossary, published by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in 2018, defines solar radiation modification (SRM) as: ‘…the intentional modification of the Earth’s shortwave radiative budget with the aim of reducing warming. Artificial injection of stratospheric aerosols, marine cloud brightening and land surface albedo modification are examples of proposed SRM methods. SRM does not fall within the definitions of mitigation and adaptation (IPCC, 2012b, p. 2). Note that in the literature SRM is also referred to as solar radiation management or albedo enhancement.’

Cirrus cloud thinning (CCT) - One of several radiation modification approaches to counter the warming caused by greenhouse gases (GHGs). In this approach, it is proposed to reduce the amount of cirrus clouds by injecting ice nucleating substances in the upper troposphere. The reduction in cirrus clouds is expected to increase the amount of longwave cooling to space resulting in a planetary cooling. Although cirrus cloud thinning primarily affects the longwave radiation budget of our planet, it is often identified as one of the solar radiation modification (SRM) approaches in the literature.
Marine cloud brightening (MCB) - One of several solar radiation modification (SRM) approaches to increase the planetary albedo. In this approach, it is proposed to inject sea salt aerosols into persistent marine low clouds. This is expected to increase the cloud droplet concentration of these clouds and their reflectivity.
Stratospheric aerosol injection (SAI) - One of several solar radiation modification (SRM) approaches to increase the planetary albedo. In the approach, it is proposed to inject highly reflective aerosols such as sulphates into the lower stratosphere. This is expected to increase the fraction of solar radiation deflected to space resulting in a planetary cooling.