--- title: "George Soros Comes Out in Support of Geoengineering the Climate" description: "Billionaire philanthropist (and unfortunate right-wing target) George Soros has come out in support of geoengineering, an experimental Sun-dimming tech." date: "2023-02-19" modified: "2023-02-19" authors: - name: "Noor Al-Sibai" job_title: "Senior Staff Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/nooralsibai" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/george-soros-geoengineering" categories: - "Climate Change" - "Environment" - "Science & Energy" tags: - "geoengineering" - "george soros" - "greenland ice sheet" - "the digest" --- # George Soros Comes Out in Support of Geoengineering the Climate ![Billionaire philanthropist (and unfortunate right-wing target) George Soros has come out in support of geoengineering, an experimental Sun-dimming tech.]() *\Image: Ullstein Bild Dtl. via Getty / Futurism\* ## Bloody Sun-day Billionaire philanthropist — and [perennial right-wing target]() — George Soros has come out in support of solar geoengineering, a group of experimental technologies intended to dim the Sun and thus slow down the melting of polar ice caps. As [*Fortune* reports](), Soros issued his call for investment in the controversial technology ahead of the Munich Security Conference, where he spoke this week. And credit where credit's due, while there are many methods floating around the [burgeoning field of solar geoengineering](), the one Soros is backing seems to at the very least be more backed by environmental science than some others. ## Albedo 'Bout It In his prepared remarks that were [published to his website](), Soros notes that the Arctic Ocean "used to be covered by pristine snow and ice that reflected the sun in what is called the 'albedo effect,'" but rising global temperatures are such that the Greenland ice sheet has begun to melt. Citing the royally-knighted British chemist David King, the billionaire proposed a process of "refreezing" the arctic via geoengineering: replicating the albedo effect "by creating white clouds high above the earth." "With proper scientific safeguards and in consultation with local indigenous communities," Soros continued, "this project could help restabilize the Arctic climate system which governs the entire global climate system." ## Billionaire Blues The billionaire went on to warn that the melting of the Greenland ice sheet "poses a threat to the survival of our civilization" — a threat that he believes captains of industry and financial institutions can head off, if only they'd use some of their wealth to do it. "We must reorient our international financial institutions, particularly the World Bank, to focus on climate change," Soros said in his speech. As he pointed out, there's already been one small victory on that front: the resignation of the World Bank's climate-denying president, who announced that he was leaving the prestigious institution just a day prior to the Hungarian-American billionaire's remarks at the Munich Security Conference. "The message is clear: human interference has destroyed a previously stable system," Soros said, "and human ingenuity, both local and international, will be needed to restore it." **More on geoengineering:** [*Experts Fear Grim Repercussions of Geoengineering the Climate*]() ## Author At Futurism, I've often been drawn to unpacking the narratives that underlie technological, scientific and medical progress, with a special interest in areas of conflict and ambiguity that end up setting agendas and steering the fates of both elites and the hoi polloi. I'm a committed generalist, but I often find myself returning to work involving NASA and the private space sector, the effects of AI on media and society, and the mechanics of the pharmaceutical industry, with a specific focus on the spread of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. Prior to Futurism, I worked for publications ranging from Media Matters and Truthdig to Raw Story and Bustle. I'm also the author of "Myspace Scene Queens," a 2024 title in Instar Books' acclaimed "Remember the Internet" series. My work at Futurism has been cited by outlets including the New Yorker, Slate, Nieman Lab, the Verge, the MIT Technology Review, the Sunday Times, and the Daily Beast. I grew up in North Carolina, attended the University of North Carolina at Asheville, and now live in Brooklyn, New York. In my free time, I'm an avid reader and music fan; you can probably find me at a local poetry reading, concert, underground rave, or DJ set. I'm the proud parent of an ineffable orange cat named Mee-Mow. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()