Happy Thursday! Today we’ll discuss the wartime tactics that could help tackle global warming, explain why climate change spells trouble for the internet, and explore the controversial plan to save the planet with balloons. Let’s dive right in 👇:

Matcha's Gulp

Researchers propose wartime tactics to battle global warming ⚔️

If overconsumption is a key driver of carbon emissions, then why don’t we try… consuming less? That’s the basic idea behind a new study from the University of Leeds, which suggests that rationing could help tackle climate change. The authors argue that an individual limit on carbon consumption would be the fairest way to reduce emissions, with the same allowance for the super-wealthy as for the super-broke.

Compared to solar panels in space or blocking out the sun with moon dust, this climate proposal is much less fun. But when it comes to saving the planet, could the boring solutions actually be the best?

Will climate change break the internet? 🌐

According to new research, even the internet is at risk from climate change. The undersea cable network that transmits digital information around the world is already vulnerable to natural hazards like floods, landslides and cyclones – but as the planet heats up and sea levels rise, these will increase in frequency and strength.

This could create “localised hotspots of elevated risk” with the potential to significantly disrupt the broader network. The researchers argue that it is crucial to improve cable resilience in these areas: otherwise, we would run a real risk of disruption to global communications. And, crucially, a real risk that you couldn’t read the Matcha Straw.

America faces yet more balloon controversy 🎈

The US startup Make Sunsets aims to combat global warming by releasing balloons full of sulphur dioxide into the earth's atmosphere. Supposedly, this would act as a kind of “sunscreen for the Earth” by reflecting solar energy away from the planet. But while geoengineering is an incredibly divisive topic, both proponents and opponents of the practice seem to be in agreement: this is a terrible idea.

This wild article provides a great guide to what the startup claims it’s trying to do – and why critics think this is dangerous (or just useless). So what do you think? Is the company’s plan being unfairly smeared by the doubters? Or is this nothing more than a “snake oil sales pitch”?

News Sip

• Republicans in the US ‘battery belt’ embrace Biden’s climate spending: When all else fails, try bribery 💰

• Austrian children sue government over climate crisis: The hills are alive with the sound of lawsuits 🇦🇹

• Climate change is forcing animals that mate for life to break up: The planet warms, relationships cool 💔

• German climate activists saw down tree at Chancellery: It’s not as stupid as it sounds 🌳

Today's Climate Meme