Central Intelligence Agency dollars are going toward a 21-month research project aimed at answering this question: Can mankind control the world’s weather?
The National Academy of Sciences is in charge of the $630,000 study, half of which is coming from CIA coffers, Mother Jones reported.
The NAS promised the study will be a “technical evaluation of a limited number of proposed geoengineering techniques,” including solar radiation management — or the deposit of particles into the stratosphere to draw sunlight reflections away from Earth. The study will also look at the feasibility of clearing the atmosphere of carbon dioxide, Mother Jones said.
A CIA spokesperson said in the report: “It’s natural that on a subject like climate change, the agency would work with scientists to better understand the phenomenon and its implications on national security.”
Once the study is completed, it will be unclassified, a spokesperson with the NAS said.
“There’s nothing nefarious going on here,” she said, NBC reported.
• Cheryl K. Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.
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