This is a longer message - video here on YouTube and LinkedIn.

Since launching AirMiners in 2017, my job has been to look ahead at what the world needs next for a stable climate and a thriving human civilization.

Today, growth in carbon removal is slowing, and decarbonization isn't where it needs to be either. Because of that I've been looking at how to buy time for carbon removal to scale.

One way to buy time is to cool the planet by reflecting sunlight. So I've been on a learning journey about solar radiation management (SRM), which includes anything that reflects sunlight away from the planet.

The scientific consensus to date has been "don't do this". Most past IPCC reports mention SRM and generally advise against it, and many scientists are against even doing research on it. On the other hand, those at the forefront of the field argue that research is good so we have better answers if it is ever needed and so we can judge safety, efficacy, and governance.

My approach in new fields is learn by doing. I have watched hundreds of people in our community reach an inflection point when they're starting companies, projects, or marketing campaigns. Everyone starts by reading and talking and thinking. But some keep reading and talking and seemingly stall out, where others try something concrete, learn, and adjust. That bias toward action helped carbon removal move from crazy idea to industry. The difference between asking "will it work?" vs "how do we make this work?" is vast.

I'm applying that same frame to reflecting sunlight away from the planet. And, to be clear, I don't love that this might be the next step to explore. I could be wrong, my aim is to find a path that is both workable and safe. My goal is a balanced planet and a thriving human civilization, rather than being tied to any particular solution or type of solution.

If you are following SRM or not, or if you are skeptical, I want to hear from you. How can we make SRM safe? How can we make SRM scalable? Who should I speak with about atmospheric science, modeling, governance, ethics, law, and engineering?

Tito