By Abdullahi Lukman
Civil society networks, including Indigenous Peoples, climate justice advocates, and environmental organizations in Alaska, U S.A, are celebrating the shutdown of the Arctic Ice Project (AIP), which aimed to slow Arctic ice melt by spreading reflective synthetic microspheres.
The project’s closure, prompted by escalating ecological concerns, marks a significant victory for community-led resistance against geoengineering and harmful technological solutions to climate change.
The AIP had faced significant opposition, particularly from Indigenous communities in Alaska, who raised alarms about the potential ecological harm the project could cause.
The initiative, which sought to reflect sunlight off the Arctic ice to mitigate warming, was criticized for its lack of transparency and potential to disrupt already fragile ecosystems.
Indigenous leaders warned that such projects jeopardized both their lands and their traditional ways of life.
“The decision to shut down the Arctic Ice Project is a hard-earned victory for Indigenous communities and for all those standing against risky geoengineering solutions,” said Panganga Pungowiyi, Climate Geoengineering Organizer at the Indigenous Environmental Network.
“We warned for years that the use of harmful synthetic materials on our sacred ice could have disastrous long-term consequences for our people and the environment,” he said.
The project’s cancellation follows the failure of other controversial geoengineering efforts, such as the Alameda marine cloud brightening initiative and Harvard’s SCoPEx solar radiation modification project.
Critics argue these ventures ignore the root causes of climate change, offering temporary fixes that sidestep the urgent need for systemic change. “
Geoengineering attempts to address the symptoms of climate change without confronting its true drivers—fossil fuel consumption and environmental exploitation,” said Mary Church, Geoengineering Campaign Manager at the Center for International Environmental Law.
Related Posts
The shutdown also reinforces a growing global consensus against geoengineering.
At the 2022 UN Convention on Biological Diversity summit, governments reaffirmed a moratorium on such technologies, recognizing the risks they pose to biodiversity and ecosystems.
The closure of the AIP is seen as a reaffirmation of the precautionary principle and a reminder that local and Indigenous communities should be central in decisions about environmental interventions.
“This victory sends a strong message that the global community will not allow dangerous geoengineering experiments in vulnerable ecosystems,” said Silvia Ribeiro, Latin America Director of the ETC Group.
“Indigenous communities, especially in Alaska, played a pivotal role in halting this harmful project, demonstrating the importance of local resistance,” he said.
Indigenous activists stress that their opposition to geoengineering is rooted in the defense of their right to Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) and the protection of their ancestral lands.
“Nature is not a laboratory,” said Pungowiyi, adding, “We stand firm in protecting our sacred ice and ecosystems from any project that seeks to exploit them for speculative technology.”
Despite this victory, environmental groups remain cautious, as new geoengineering proposals continue to emerge.
Benjamin Day, Senior Campaigner for Climate & Energy Justice at Friends of the Earth U.S., warned, “The shutdown of the Arctic Ice Project is just one win in the fight against
Geo engineering. We must continue to push for real climate solutions focused on sustainability, justice, and transitioning away from fossil fuels.”
As the world grapples with the climate crisis, the AIP shutdown serves as a reminder of the power of community advocacy and Indigenous resistance in shaping environmental policy.
“This is not the end, but a powerful step forward in the ongoing fight to protect our ecosystems and our future,” said Coraina de la Plaza, Global Coordinator for the Hands Off Mother Earth! Alliance.
