Call for proposed sessions & talks: The Degrees Global Forum on SRM
Jesse Reynolds
The Degrees Global Forum on SRM, to be held in Cape Town from 12 to 16 May 2025, will be the largest conference to date on solar radiation modification, a controversial proposal for reducing some of the impacts of climate change. The event will bring together researchers, NGO representatives, policymakers, thought leaders, and journalists from around the world to discuss the scientific, social, and political dimensions of SRM.
On the website, we have opened the call for submissions and registration for the Forum.
More information is below. Please do share this message with others you think would be interested in submitting or attending.
Call for submissions
If you would like to submit a presentation, session, or poster, don’t miss out – This is your chance the shape the SRM discussion. The deadline for all submissions is 15 December 2024.
You can submit:
- Oral presentation: a 10–15-minute presentation that may consist of research findings, policy recommendations, a description of a new project, political perspectives, future proposals, or reflections on key issues. Your presentation will be sorted into a session with other proposals on the same topic.
- Parallel session: a 75-minute session in any format. You can submit a full or partial list of specific speakers, or just descriptions of potential contributors.
- Poster presentation: an opportunity for one-on-one engagement during designated poster sessions.
The same form is used for all types of submissions to the programme, and they have the same deadline.
Proposals are not limited to academia. We welcome contributions from participants from various fields, including NGOs, policy, and media, encouraging a variety of perspectives and formats.
More information and examples of session formats can be found on the submission form. If you have any questions, please contact globa...@degrees.ngo.
Why hold a Global Forum on SRM?
SRM research is now conducted in dozens of countries around the globe, and there is a wide range of views on its scientific and human dimensions. At the extremes of the debate, a few people have already made up their minds: on one side, some activists seek to ban even research; on the other side, some entrepreneurs are trying to sell SRM ‘cooling credits’ for private profit.
In the middle is a diverse global community trying to shed light on fundamental issues:
- How would SRM affect global, regional and local climates, and how does this compare to a warmed world without SRM?
- Who would control such a technology if it is ever used? Or who has the right to stop others from using SRM to limit warming?
- How should NGOs, journalists and policymakers engage with such a controversial issue?
- How should the decision to use or reject SRM be made in an environment of deep uncertainty?
Hundreds of voices from around the world, and across the spectrum of opinion, will come together at the Degrees Global Forum to discuss these issues.
The sessions
The Forum will have a range of sessions and activities to appeal to SRM specialists, climate generalists, and the SRM-curious alike. There will be:
- Plenary discussions with high-level speakers
- In-depth academic presentations of the latest research
- Parallel sessions for participants to focus on what interests them
- Poster sessions, offering an opportunity to speak directly with researchers and others
- Debates and dialogues
- Plenty of breaks and social events for networking
- South-South and South-North collaborations
More information
Visit the Degrees Global Forum on SRM website to register for the event, find out more practical information, and, of course, submit a proposal. The programme will be available in the new year. We look forward to seeing you in Cape Town in May!
Jesse Reynolds, Ph.D.
Chief of staff
The Degrees Initiative
Phone: +31(0) 6 8357 8792