Documentary Explores the Controversial Idea of Engineering Earth’s Climate

As the impacts of climate change become more pronounced, some scientists are studying an idea that once seemed confined to science fiction: deliberately altering Earth’s atmosphere to cool the planet.

That emerging and controversial field, known as solar geoengineering—or sunlight reflection—is the focus of the documentary Plan C for Civilization, which will be screened July 2 at Upstate Films in Rhinebeck, followed by a discussion with filmmaker Ben Kalina and Oscar-nominated filmmaker Robert Stone.

Kalina said the film grew out of nearly 15 years of research into the scientific, ethical and political questions surrounding the idea of reflecting sunlight away from Earth to reduce global temperatures.

“The first time you hear about this idea, this idea of deliberately altering the planet’s climate and reflectivity is crazy,” Kalina said. “It’s really kind of scary. We don’t know what would happen exactly if we did it.”

Solar geoengineering refers to proposals designed to reduce the amount of sunlight absorbed by Earth. Kalina explained that scientists have looked at naturally occurring events, such as volcanic eruptions, which release reflective sulfur dioxide particles into the upper atmosphere. After the 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo, he noted, global temperatures temporarily cooled by about one degree Fahrenheit.

Researchers are studying whether a similar effect could someday be achieved intentionally, although Kalina emphasized that the particles would need to be replenished continuously and that the concept raises significant risks and unanswered questions.

Rather than advocating for or against the technology, Kalina said the documentary presents the debate from multiple perspectives.

“My interest is not to tell people what to think about this idea,” he said. “I really want to respect people’s need to process what this whole idea is about.”

The title Plan C for Civilization reflects what Kalina describes as a progression of climate responses. Plan A is reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Plan B is removing carbon dioxide already in the atmosphere. Plan C, he said, would involve reflecting sunlight if those earlier approaches prove insufficient to stabilize the climate.

The documentary follows several people working on or debating solar geoengineering, including researcher David Keith and entrepreneurs attempting to test the concept outside traditional scientific institutions. Kalina said focusing on individuals helped make a technically complex subject more accessible to audiences.

Following screenings, Kalina said audiences often ask about the science behind geoengineering, but also about broader issues of governance and trust.

Questions frequently center on who would have the authority to deploy such technology, how decisions would be made, and how countries would determine whether changes in weather or climate were caused by geoengineering efforts.

“It touches on so many dimensions of what it means to be human,” Kalina said. “We really are kind of steering this ship that we’re on.”

Despite exploring the possibility of solar geoengineering, Kalina said he hopes audiences leave with renewed urgency about reducing emissions rather than viewing climate engineering as an easy solution.

“We know we need to get off fossil fuels and carbon as quickly as we can without crashing the economy,” he said. “We need to start figuring out how to pull CO2 out of the atmosphere.”

Image: The sun sets behind the Space Needle as visitors take photos from the observation deck on Tuesday, March 19, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)