The experts say political inaction has allowed carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere to rise unchecked, with potentially catastrophic consequences. They call for more research on geo-engineering options to cool the planet.
Brian Launder, from the University of Manchester, and Michael Thompson, of the University of Cambridge, say: "While such geoscale interventions may be risky, the time may well come when they are accepted as less risky than doing nothing."
Critics argue such measures are a distraction from attempts to limit emissions and that they could have dangerous side-effects. Mike Childs of Friends of the Earth said: "We can’t afford to wait for magical geo-engineering solutions to get us out of the hole we have dug ourselves into. The solutions that exist now, such as a large-scale energy efficiency programme and investment in wind, wave and solar power, can do the job if we deploy them at the scale and urgency that is needed."
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