News Climate Solar geoengineering moves into the spotlight as climate concerns grow Depending on whom you ask, it’s potentially dangerous, promising or uncertain The debate over solar geoengineering is heating up as Earth's temperature rises. Ryan Noeker/500px/Getty Images Plus By Carolyn Gramling 19 seconds ago Earth’s average temperature is continuing to tick inexorably upward as the world’s nations stall at reducing their atmosphere-warming emissions. In the face of that grim future, strategies to try to turn down the planet’s thermostat are gaining traction. One strategy in particular — solar geoengineering, which aims to cool the planet by reflecting solar radiation back into space — may be having a moment in the sun. Depending on whom you ask, it’s potentially highly dangerous, highly promising or highly uncertain. There aren’t any real guidelines. But, with the future of emissions restrictions also highly uncertain, some researchers say solar geoengineering needs to be on the table. Sign up for our newsletter We summarize the week's science breakthroughs every Thursday.