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Colleen Golja, a climate researcher, participated in a war game at Queen Mary University of London designed to test how nations might respond to solar radiation modification. This technology aims to cool the planet by reflecting sunlight, similar to volcanic eruptions, but carries risks like drying in sub-Saharan Africa and unpredictable temperature spikes once stopped. While the cooling effect is widely accepted, the geopolitical fallout remains uncertain. Private companies are now exploring these technologies commercially; Stardust Solutions raised $60 million last year, and Elon Musk has publicly supported space-based interventions on X.

The simulation revealed that mutual distrust could prevent international cooperation. Players representing the US and China refused to sign deals that limited their research or allowed rivals to lead technologically. Jeffrey Nielsen, playing a US national security attaché, stated that any deal favoring China was "worse than no deal at all." Tensions escalated when Russian delegates received an intelligence report about a suspected US plane near the Bering Strait. Although the US team was indeed conducting research missions, they accused Russia of disinformation.

Consequently, countries abandoned the talks, with the Canadian representative calling it a "humiliating defeat." In reality, no experiments were taking place in the game, yet players believed rivals were racing to build capabilities. This dynamic mirrors nuclear arms dynamics, where fear of falling behind drives research even if deployment is not imminent. Experts warn that without transparent collaboration, the world faces a dangerous competition where actions by one actor are perceived as malintent by others.