Could reducing sunlight to cool the planet also affect mental health? @geoengineering1 interviews Shinsuke Tanaka about new research examining the link between sunlight and suicide and what it could mean for solar radiation management (SRM).
Using nearly three decades of U.S. county-month data, Tanaka and colleagues find that sustained reductions in sunlight significantly increase suicide rates. They estimate that a 1.5°C SRM scenario could result in around 3,810 additional U.S. suicides between 2030 and 2100 from reduced sunlight alone, or 16,320 when temperature effects are included.
The conversation also covers the difference between seasonal correlations and causal effects, possible biological and behavioral mechanisms, and the challenges of applying U.S.-based findings globally.
Paper Discussed: Tanaka, S., & Matsubayashi, T. (2026). Clouding the mind? Assessing the suicide impacts of solar radiation management in the United States. The Japanese Economic Review, 1-21. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s42973-026-00273-5
Podden och tillhörande omslagsbild på den här sidan tillhör
Andrew Lockley. Innehållet i podden är skapat av Andrew Lockley och inte av,
eller tillsammans med, Poddtoppen.
