Geo-engineering the atmosphere

A small collection of climate scientists backed by Bill Gates and other members of the world’s financial elite are making a push to manage climate change through geo-engineering.

The group is lobbying politicians to get behind controversial technological fixes such as spraying millions of tons of reflective sulfur dioxide into Earth’s atmosphere, according to the UK’s Guardian newspaper. While some climate scientists believe such measures would provide a quick and relatively inexpensive means to slow the effects of global warming, there is concern geo-engineering the atmosphere would irrevocably alter the planet’s climate patterns.

Environmentalists are worried the small group, backed by the likes of Richard Branson, tar-sands oil tycoon Murray Edwards, Skype co-founder Niklas Zennström, as well as Gates, will have a disproportionate effect on geo-engineering policy-making.