🚨Could massive volcanic events trigger natural carbon dioxide removal (#CDR)?

New study suggests that during the Emeishan supervolcanic eruptions (~260M yrs ago), enhanced weathering of uplifted rocks removed huge amounts of atm CO₂, cutting levels nearly in half.

How?🧵1/11 2/ Large igneous provinces (LIPs) are among the largest volcanic events in Earth’s history, typically releasing huge volumes of lava over 1-5 million years.

They’re widely thought to drive CO₂ spikes, warming, and environmental crises through massive volcanic degassing.

🚨How much does the shape of particles matter for #SolarGeoengineering?

A new study tests whether non-spherical particles could improve the cooling efficiency of #SAI.

The result: shape can help slightly, but particle size & refractive index dominate the cooling effect.🧵1/11 2/ SAI aims to cool Earth by injecting particles into the lower stratosphere that scatter incoming sunlight back to space, increasing planetary reflectivity (albedo).

The effectiveness of these particles depends on their optical properties, how they scatter and absorb sunlight.

🚨🗞️Monthly Solar Geoengineering Updates (February 2026 Edition)🗞️🚨

AMOC collapse alerts, Arctic intervention studies & new governance & funding initiatives - #SRM headlines you need to know from the past month:

🔗:

🚨Top 10 SRM Updates from Feb 2026: …largeoengineeringupdates.substack.com/p/monthly-sola… 1️⃣ Solar geoengineering governance platform - A new SGRG initiative will develop transparency tools, disclosure systems and a research governance charter as SRM studies expand.

🚨🐜Tiny fungus-farming ants have evolved the ability to capture carbon dioxide from air (#CDR) and convert it into a mineral layer on their bodies, forming a natural protective armour, a surprising biological mechanism reported by scientists in a new study.

Details🧵1/11 2/ The discovery comes from studying crowded ant nests where carbon dioxide can build up.

Instead of simply tolerating high CO₂, these ants appear to use the gas as a chemical resource inside their nest environment.

🚨🗓️Solar Geoengineering Events Calendar Update

From Oxford lectures & London policy debates to GeoMIP in Tokyo, #SRM governance forums in Belgium & major gatherings across Vienna, US & beyond + key job & abstract deadlines. Here’s what’s coming up🧵1/22

teamup.com/ks64mmvtit583e… 2/ Add our SRM Events Calendar to your default calendar in 2 ways:

Head to this link:

And follow these steps: teamup.com/ks64mmvtit583e…

🚨A new study finds that most enhanced weathering models overestimate CO₂ removal (#CDR) because they assume all added rock powder reacts, when in reality, soil structure & moisture mean much of the mineral surface never gets wet, cutting reaction rates by up to 97%.

🧵1/12 2/ Enhanced weathering (EW) works by spreading finely ground silicate rocks onto soils. When these minerals react with water and CO₂, they form bicarbonate, effectively removing carbon from the atmosphere.

But here’s the catch: no water contact, no reaction.

🚨Should SRM Be Seen as a Serious Security Issue?

Four experts offer their thoughts on the potential security risks associated with sunlight reflection methods (#SRM), or solar geoengineering, highlighting the geopolitical complexity of the field.

Read here:🧵1/6 Burgess Langshaw Power argues climate change is now a security issue and SRM could be too, but warns against military control to avoid secrecy or an arms race.

2/6

🚨A new study in Communications Sustainability explores whether enhanced rock weathering (#ERW) can scale into a meaningful, equitable climate solution.

The headline: ERW could remove ~1GtCO₂/yr by 2100, but who deploys it, when & how fast will shape its global impact.🧵1/10 2/ Enhanced rock weathering works by spreading crushed silicate rocks on croplands.

These minerals chemically react with CO₂, locking carbon into stable forms while improving soil quality. It’s a rare intervention promising both climate mitigation and agricultural co-benefits.

🚨New study finds #biochar made from bioenergy crops & residues in China could remove up to 1.88 GtCO₂/yr with optimized plant logistics and dedicated biomass.

At ~$10/tCO₂, far cheaper than #BECCS, it offers a scalable, cost-effective carbon removal (#CDR) pathway.

🧵1/13 2/ Biochar, a carbon-rich solid produced by pyrolysis of biomass, locks carbon into soils for decades to centuries while improving soil quality and crop yields.

Its stability makes it a promising negative emissions technology (NET) relied on in climate scenarios.

🚨🗞️Monthly #SolarGeoengineering Updates (Jan 2026)🗞️🚨

From U.S. withdrawal from global climate bodies & anti-geoengineering bills, to SAI uncertainty tool, Arctic field trials & funding calls, SRM stayed at the nexus of sci & geopolitics.

Top 10 SRM Highlights (Jan'26)🧵1/11 1️⃣ 𝗨.𝗦. 𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗨𝗡𝗙𝗖𝗖𝗖 & 𝗜𝗣𝗖𝗖 - Experts warn withdrawal could weaken SRM governance, deepen geopolitical mistrust, and accelerate fragmented or unilateral approaches.

2/11

🚨Climate pathways to 1.5°C increasingly depend on land-intensive carbon dioxide removal (#CDR) like forestation and BECCS.

But new research shows these climate solutions could place major pressure on #biodiversity if deployed without safeguards.

Details🧵1/11 2/ Using five integrated assessment models, the study examines where large-scale CDR is projected to occur & and how often it overlaps with biodiversity hotspots and climate refugia, the places most critical for species survival.

🚨The Politics of Geoengineering (book) is out, offering 1st comprehensive social science view of #geoengineering.

It examines political, legal, economic & societal dimensions of CDR & SRM, from Africa to the Asia-Pacific, amid urgent governance & ethical debates

Chapters🧵1/15 2/ Chapter 01: Geoengineering has shifted from theory to contested policy, with technology outpacing governance. The analysis highlights political, legal, economic, and justice dimensions and calls for urgent global oversight.

link.springer.com/chapter/10.100…

🚨Is carbon dioxide removal (#CDR) in the Arctic really feasible?

A new peer-reviewed study systematically assessed proposed Arctic CDR pathways and finds that feasibility is far more limited than often assumed.

DETAILS🧵1/14 2/ As Arctic warms rapidly (4x) & attracts attention for climate interventions, can it host CDR at meaningful scale?

To answer this, authors conducted a comparative assessment of major CDR approaches proposed for Arctic regions, spanning both nature-based & engineered methods.

🚨2025 Year in Review: Solar Geoengineering Edition🚨

As we enter 2026, we’re excited to share our yearly summary for #SRM: "Solar Geoengineering in 2025: Rays of Hope, Clouds of Doubt."

Here’s what we cover in this comprehensive review:🧵1/11 2/ 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝟐𝟎𝟐5 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰?
1️⃣ Rising Temp & Escalating Climate Impacts
2️⃣SRM Funding Announcements
3️⃣Top SRM Stories
4️⃣Restrictions & Bans on SRM
5️⃣Essential SRM Reads
6️⃣SRM in Media
7️⃣Research Highlights
8️⃣Our Work Across Geoengineering

🚨Oceans struggle to absorb Earth's carbon dioxide as microplastics invade their waters, a new study finds.

#CarbonSink #CDR #CarbonSequestration

DETAILS🧵1/12 2/ The ocean is Earth’s largest carbon sink, absorbing vast amounts of CO₂ from the atmosphere.

But tiny plastic particles under 5 mm (microplastics) are now everywhere, from deep sea to Arctic ice, disrupting this natural system.

🚨Two recent engineering studies examine whether H2-powered aircraft can reliably deliver large payloads to the lower stratosphere for #SAI.

The papers compare a conventional tube-wing aircraft & a canard-wing alternative, analyzing design feasibility & performance limits🧵1/14 2/ Delivering aerosols to these altitudes with large payloads is difficult using existing aircraft.

Both studies explore H2 propulsion b/c it offers high gravimetric energy density & zero CO₂e, potentially enabling long-duration missions without adding direct C emissions

🚨Agroforestry can lock away carbon and boost farmer livelihoods, but weak, costly measurement blocks smallholders from #carbon markets.

A new study introduced an AI-powered, smartphone-based MRV system that accurately measures tree carbon at scale.

DETAILS🧵1/11 2/ Context: Carbon markets require precise Measurement, Reporting & Verification (MRV).

For smallholder agroforestry, traditional methods are labor-intensive, expensive & hard to scale. As a result, farmers are locked out of climate finance.

🚨Monthly Solar Geoengineering Updates (Dec Edition)

From NCAR’s possible shutdown & the Guardian’s sun-dimming debate to an African-led #SRM hub, the EU’s first governance conference & new studies, SRM dominated headlines and labs alike.

Top 10 SRM Highlights (Dec 2025)🧵1/8 1️⃣ Trump administration plans to dismantle NCAR, a leading hub for climate & SRM research

2️⃣ Guardian editorial sparks debate, warning of “sun-dimming” under political control. In response, letters argue research shutdown stifles science & misrepresents African perspectives.

2/

🚨What if old clothes could power cities & remove CO₂?

New study shows that modular bioenergy with carbon capture (#BECCS) using discarded textiles can cut emissions, beat landfilling on env impacts & deliver durable #CDR at costs competitive with today’s CDR markets.

🧵1/10 2/ ~92 Mt of textile waste are generated globally each year. Roughly half is biogenic (e.g., cotton), meaning it already represents stored atmospheric CO₂ captured by plants during growth.

Yet ~66% of US textiles are landfilled, releasing GHGs & pollutants over time.

🚨Can land-based and ocean-based #CarbonRemoval work together, without undermining each other?

A new Earth system modeling study shows that combining BECCS & OAE delivers near-additive CO₂ removal, cutting ~23 ppm by 2100, while exposing critical Earth-system feedbacks.

🧵1/11 2/ As emissions cuts lag, most 1.5–2°C pathways now rely on carbon dioxide removal.

But the real question isn’t which CDR method is best, it’s what happens when multiple CDR approaches are deployed together inside the real climate system.

🚨'Rock candy' technique offers simpler, less costly way to capture C directly from air

U of Toronto engineers have developed a cheap, passive, string-based #DAC system that crystallizes CO₂ like “rock candy,” potentially cutting capital costs by up to 40%.

How it works🧵1/11 Direct air capture has existed for decades, but it’s expensive. Giant fans, complex chemical plants, and energy-intensive regeneration steps drive up costs. That’s the main criticism of today’s DAC industry.