https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2024GL112433
*Authors* Yu Cheng, Kaighin A. McColl *First published: 19 November 2024* https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL112433 *Abstract* “Land radiative management” (LRM)—deliberately increasing surface albedo to decrease temperatures—has been proposed as a form of geoengineering to mitigate the effects of regional warming. Here, we show that, contrary to expectations, LRM causes temperatures to increase in surrounding regions. The basic reason for the increase is unintended impacts on precipitation. Precipitation is suppressed over the LRM region, but this effect also extends to nearby areas unprotected by LRM. The reduction in precipitation and soil moisture in these regions leads to higher temperatures than would be expected in the absence of LRM. The resulting warming outside the LRM region is comparable to the cooling achieved inside it. This implies that, if wealthy regions unilaterally adopt LRM to cool, their neighbors may experience warming, worsening heat inequality. *Key Points* Land radiative management (LRM) causes temperatures to unexpectedly increase in surrounding regions LRM decreases precipitation over its immediate surroundings, which dries the land surface and increases temperatures The unilateral adoption of LRM by affluent regions will exacerbate heat inequality between wealthy and poor neighborhoods *Plain Language Summary* Land radiative management (LRM), which involves artificially increasing Earth's surface albedo to mitigate regional warming, has been recognized by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change as a potential solution to combat the adverse effects of climate change. Examples of LRM approaches include the adoption of white roofs and pavements. Our study challenges conventional wisdom by demonstrating that LRM can actually cause temperatures to increase, rather than decrease as intended, due to its unintended impacts on rainfall. LRM suppresses rainfall in surrounding regions, causing them to experience higher temperatures than they would in the absence of LRM. The implications of our findings are significant, as the unilateral adoption of LRM by affluent regions will exacerbate heat inequality between wealthy and poor neighborhoods. *Source: AGU* -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "geoengineering" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/geoengineering/CAHJsh9_mxddMPLADtgifpKOBM30uXh%2BRrJX7LYfW1ZufoGZ39Q%40mail.gmail.com.
