illuminem summarizes for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on The New York Times or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: The Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) will spend millions to research solar geoengineering, a method to reflect sunlight and cool the planet
• This initiative comes as global temperatures rise, with grants expected to be issued by fall

🔭 The context: Solar geoengineering, previously seen as radical, is gaining traction due to worsening global warming
• The research aims to provide data on the potential effects of these technologies, despite EDF's historical skepticism and opposition from environmental groups

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Solar geoengineering could temporarily reduce global temperatures, providing a potential stopgap while efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions continue
• However, it raises significant ecological, ethical, and geopolitical concerns

⏭️ What's next: EDF plans to start funding research soon, with the hope of informing policymakers about the implications and risks of deploying such technologies
• Ongoing debates and tests, like the recent halted experiment in Alameda, highlight the controversy and need for cautious exploration

💬 One quote: “This is something that I don’t think we can just ignore,” said Dr. Lisa Dilling, associate chief scientist at EDF

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