§ Mr. Nigel JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what assessment he has made of the Space Regatta Consortium's proposal to place reflectors in space to direct sunlight to the Arctic region; and if he will make a statement; [54650]
(2) if he will assess the environmental impact of the Znamya 2.5 experiment; and if he will make a statement. [54649]
§ Mr. MealeThe Znamya 2.5 experiment is planned by the Space Regatta Consortium to assess the feasibility of illuminating dark areas of the Earth's surface, particularly during winter. The experiment would last for a single night and is intended to be visible from a given point on the Earth for only a few minutes every 90 minutes. Even if the experiment occurs and is successful, which is by no means certain, the eventual operational deployment of an array of deflectors would be at least 10 years away. The environmental impact is such an array would need to be assessed in light of the conclusions of the small scale experiment and, if necessary, addressed in the appropriate international bodies.