Peter Irvine

I am a Lecturer in Earth Sciences at UCL. My research focuses on solar geoengineering, a set of proposals to increase the amount of light that the Earth reflects to lower its temperature. Through my research, I seek to understand the potential risks and benefits of solar geoengineering and to explore its broader implications. My work has two broad themes:

1) Evaluating the climate response to solar geoengineering. Using state of the art Earth system models, I analyse the climate response to stratospheric aerosol geoengineering and other solar geoengineering proposals. I am particularly interested in finding ways to understand and effectively visualise this climate response.

2) Considering the broader implications of solar geoengineering. Collaborating with colleagues from a range of disciplines, I seek to draw out the implications of the scientific findings on solar geoengineering for the broader questions that this proposal raises.

In my interdisciplinary work I seek to connect the scientific findings on solar geoengineering to the broader questions that this proposal to control the climate raises. I work with ethicists, economists and lawyers to better understand the potential harms and benefits of solar geoengineering and how they could be addressed through compensation. I also work to understand the implications that the technical requirements of solar geoengineering would have on its governance.