Using geoengineering to slow global warming could increase malaria

Geoengineering includes the removal of carbon dioxide from the sky so that the atmosphere retains less heat, as well as the management of solar radiation (SRM), the reflection of more sunlight away from the planet, so that less heat is absorbed. The latter could be accomplished in a variety of ways, including by spraying particles into the sky to reflect the sun away from Earth, according to The Guardian. –

This study dealt with the latter, namely the injection of aerosols into the stratosphere that reflect incoming sunlight, thus “temporarily stopping” global warming. Although SRM is often discussed as a way to reduce the climate problem, its potential impact on health has rarely been studied.

Scientists have modeled what malaria transmission might look like in two future scenarios, with medium or high levels of global warming, with and without geoengineering. The models identify the most favorable temperatures for the transmission of malaria by the Anopheles mosquito and identify how many people live in areas where transmission is possible.

They found that in some areas, high temperatures were expected to kill the malaria parasite, so rapid cooling of the area could reverse these declines, leading to an increase in infections. In the high-heat scenario, the simulations showed that an extra billion people were at risk of malaria in the geoengineering world.

“Study Implications for Decision Making Are Significant”, said Colin Carlson, assistant professor of research at Georgetown University Medical Center and lead author of the study. “Geoengineering could save lives, but the assumption that it will do so equally for everyone could put some countries at a disadvantage when it comes time to make decisions. If geoengineering is to protect people at the forefront of climate change, we should be able to reap the risks and benefits – especially in terms of neglected health tasks, such as mosquito-borne diseases. “

Other findings include the fact that geoengineering may reduce malaria in some places, while in others it may increase it. For example, in both scenarios, the authors found that geoengineering could substantially reduce the risk of malaria in the Indian subcontinent, even compared to today. However, this protective effect would be offset by an increased risk in Southeast Asia.

“On a planet that is too hot for humans, it is also becoming too hot for the malaria parasite.”says Carlson. “The cooling of the planet could be an emergency option to save lives, but it would also reverse the course of these declines. “

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