Geoengineering can help reduce the Earth’s temperature by both reflecting sunlight away and removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Reflecting sunlight is achieved by spraying tiny particles, like sulfur, into the upper atmosphere to form a reflective layer that bounces sunlight back into space. Removing carbon dioxide is done using machines or planting more trees to absorb this greenhouse gas from the air. By combining these approaches, geoengineering can directly lower global temperatures, making hot weather less extreme and more comfortable for people, plants, and animals.

Geoengineering can slow the melting of ice in the Arctic and Antarctic by reducing global temperatures. This is done through techniques like injecting reflective particles into the atmosphere or placing large mirrors in space. By lowering the temperature in these regions, geoengineering helps preserve ice caps, protecting the habitats of animals such as penguins and polar bears, and preventing rapid sea level rise that can result from melting ice.

By reducing global temperatures, geoengineering can make severe storms, like hurricanes and typhoons, less intense. This is achieved by cooling ocean temperatures through methods such as spraying reflective particles into the atmosphere or brightening clouds. Cooler oceans have less energy to fuel these storms, making them weaker and less frequent. Geoengineering thus directly contributes to reducing the severity and occurrence of dangerous storms.

By cooling the Earth, geoengineering can help save animals that are at risk of extinction due to rising temperatures. Methods such as brightening clouds with seawater spray or using space mirrors to reflect sunlight away help maintain cooler habitats. These techniques directly contribute to preserving environments where endangered species, like polar bears and coral reefs, thrive, preventing their habitats from becoming too warm.

Geoengineering provides more time to develop long-term solutions to climate change by temporarily slowing down global warming. Techniques like reflecting sunlight away or capturing carbon dioxide from the air can quickly reduce temperatures or greenhouse gases. This temporary fix buys time for society to implement more permanent changes, such as transitioning to cleaner energy sources and reforesting large areas.