Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach. I appreciate the kind words from both Senators and I am here to take this on behalf of the Taoiseach to whom I think the Senator submitted the item. I appreciate the Senator giving the Government the opportunity to provide an update on this matter.

Solar radiation modification, SRM, is the intentional large scale intervention in the Earth's climatic system attempting to reduce the influence of global warming. The aim of SRM is to artificially reduce the amount of solar radiation absorbed by the Earth. The latest assessment report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, IPCC, discusses solar radiation modification in volume one, chapter four. In particular, the executive summary of chapter four states: "Solar radiation mofidication could offset some of the effects of anthropogenic warming on global and regional climate but there would be substantial residual and overcompensating climate chance at the regional scale and seasonal timescale and there is low confidence in our understanding of the climate response to SRM, specifically at the regional scale."To answer the Senator's question, Met Éireann confirms that it has not conducted any climate or weather modification programmes and it is not aware of any such activities in Irish airspace.