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When were the earliest geoengineering proposals developed?

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Illustration of various geoengineering techniques to address climate change, including carbon capture and storage methods like artificial trees, industrial scrubbers, and deep ocean CO2 storage, as well as solar reflectance strategies such as sulfur aerosols, reflective crops, cloud whitening, and orbital mirrors. The scene shows these interventions applied to land, sea, and atmosphere, with labeled features explaining each process. — Geoengineering Various geoengineering proposals designed to increase solar reflectance or capture and store carbon.

The earliest geoengineering proposals were developed in the middle of the 20th century. These initial concepts relied on technologies that emerged during World War II and were primarily designed to modify weather systems to achieve more favorable climate conditions on a regional scale.1

One of the earliest techniques developed was cloud seeding, which involves dispersing particles like silver iodide or solid carbon dioxide into clouds to induce precipitation or weaken tropical storms. Additionally, during this period, the U.S. military proposed using nuclear weapons to alter regional climates to make certain areas more suitable for human habitation, though this proposal was never tested.1