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TOP 10 SRM UPDATES FROM MARCH 2026
UN OHCHR Seeks Input on Climate Technologies and their Impact on Human Rights
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has launched a call for input on climate-related technologies, including geoengineering (CDR & SRM), to assess their potential impacts on human rights. The initiative will inform a report examining both benefits and risks of technologies used for climate mitigation, adaptation, and responses to climate loss and damage. Deadline: 30 April 2026
US National Security Framing of Planet-Cooling Technologies (ACCF Report)
A report from the American Council for Capital Formation, led by former Trump climate adviser George David Banks, calls for the U.S. to take a leading role in researching and regulating solar geoengineering or “planet-cooling” technologies. It frames climate intervention research as a national security issue, warning that if adversaries like China advance first, it could create strategic and geopolitical risks. The report urges federally supported research alongside international governance to reduce the chance of unilateral deployment and global tensions.
Growing Resistance to Geoengineering Ban Proposals in US States
Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs vetoed a bill (HB2056) that sought to ban geoengineering and atmospheric modification activities, calling it a response to a “non-existent problem” and a “bureaucratic distraction”. Meanwhile, the Texas Conservative Coalition Research Institute said Texas should resist any ban on weather modification and instead support continued research, arguing such technologies could help address growing risks from extreme weather.
Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)’s Pro-SRM Research Announcement
NRDC holds that as climate risks intensify and temperature thresholds near or exceed 1.5°C, societies may need to examine a full spectrum of responses, including solar geoengineering. While emissions reductions, adaptation, and carbon removal remain central, the organization supports structured research into solar radiation management to understand its potential role and limitations. It emphasizes that such approaches carry significant scientific, ethical, and governance uncertainties and cannot replace decarbonization, but ignoring them could leave critical gaps in preparedness for future climate decisions.
Researchers Developed CIDER for Expanding Scenario Exploration of SAI
Jared Farley et al. developed the Climate Intervention Dynamical Emulator (CIDER), a tool designed to simulate stratospheric aerosol injection across a wide range of scenarios. Trained on Earth system models, it enables rapid exploration of diverse deployment strategies and their global and regional climate responses at significantly lower computational cost, while retaining simplified dynamics. It expands the exploration space beyond what is feasible with traditional Earth system models, allowing broader assessment of SRM strategies. A web-based version is available here.
CSEi Announced Latest Research Awards
The Climate Systems Engineering initiative (CSEi) at the University of Chicago has announced its latest round of research awards, funding eight new faculty-led projects focused on climate intervention strategies. The selected work spans solar geoengineering, carbon removal, and related climate systems engineering approaches, with emphasis on evaluating risks, benefits, and tradeoffs across intervention pathways, as well as studying how public narratives about climate intervention shape societal understanding of the risks.
Impurities Undermine Diamond Dust’s Potential for SAI
New research from Washington University challenged earlier claims that diamond dust could serve as an effective solar geoengineering material. Using detailed simulations, the study finds that impurities formed during synthetic production increase light absorption, reducing reflective cooling efficiency by up to 25%. The findings suggest diamond-based aerosols may be less effective and more complex than assumed, highlighting material purity as a key factor in aerosol-based geoengineering design.
New Framework Guides SRM Field Experiments
Doherty et al. established a structured pathway for advancing solar radiation modification research, particularly marine cloud brightening, from theory to climate-relevant testing. It identifies gaps in detecting radiative effects and linking cloud microphysics to large-scale outcomes. It proposes staged scales, from microphysical and localized tests (~10-100 km²), to regional trials (~10³-10⁵ km²), and larger perturbations, each gated by measurable thresholds. Crucially, it provides a rigorous framework to ensure experiments are detectable, controlled, and policy-relevant before scaling.
Environmental Meteorology and Climate Manipulation: Solving Climate-Geoengineering Technology Problems - Book
Elsevier published a book that presented a structured examination of climate geoengineering as deliberate large-scale intervention in Earth’s atmospheric and climatic systems. It explores key approaches such as solar radiation management, carbon dioxide removal, and stratospheric aerosol injection, assessing their potential to address warming and temperature overshoot. The volume integrates scientific foundations with emerging technological pathways while critically addressing uncertainties, risks, and governance challenges associated with intentional climate modification.
Frontier Climate Technologies Short Course 2026 on AI, CDR & SRM in Africa
Emerging Climate Frontiers announced the Frontier Climate Technologies Short Course 2026, to be hosted at the University of Health and Allied Sciences, University of Energy and Natural Resources, and University of Cape Coast. The program will bring together students, researchers, and professionals to explore Artificial Intelligence for climate applications, Carbon Dioxide Removal, and Solar Radiation Management, along with their implications for Africa’s climate future.
For a full recap of last month’s updates, check out our weekly summaries: WEEK 1 | WEEK 2 | WEEK 3 | WEEK 4
And here’s an overview:
RESEARCH PAPERS & THESES
Why oppose solar geoengineering? Mapping and comparing underlying rationales across actor groups | Authors: Heleen M. Bruggink, Aarti Gupta, Rakhyun E. Kim & Frank Biermann
Analysis shows opposition to solar geoengineering is growing, driven by environmental, governance, legal, and ethical concerns, fostering a global “non-use” discourse shaping research and deployment debates.
Sun-synchronous Solar Reflector Orbits designed for Illumination from Space | Authors: FJT Salazar, AFB of Almeida Prado, RV de Moraes
Orbital analysis shows space mirrors can achieve Sun-synchronous orbits to reflect sunlight, with polar orbits feasible at low altitudes and in-plane configurations requiring medium-altitude orbits.
Asian Precipitation Changes in the Past Millennium: Projection of Volcanic Forcing Onto Internal Mode | Authors: Wenmin Man, Bo Wu, Tianjun Zhou, et al.
Millennium-scale analysis shows Asian summer monsoon variability is driven mainly by the IPO, with volcanic forcing producing similar patterns, highlighting implications for SAI impacts on regional precipitation.
Education Increases Solar Radiation Modification Literacy but Reinforces Caution: Evidence from a Pre–Post University Study | Authors: Pengyao Gao, Amanda Sie, Lili Xia and Chaochao Gao
Classroom instruction on SRM increased student knowledge, maintained moderate support for research, but reduced support for SAI deployment, shifting focus toward low-carbon development, this study finds.
Geoengineering and Animal Ethics: The Case of Stratospheric Aerosol Injection | Authors: Leonie N. Bossert & Clare Palmer
This study highlights ethical concerns of SAI for wild animals, emphasizing welfare, justice, and the lack of empirical evidence in moral evaluations of SRM impacts.
Impact of stratospheric aerosol geoengineering on sea surface temperature in the angolan upwelling system | Authors: L.G. Mekonou-Tamko, C.Y. Da-Allada, et al.
This study shows SAG lowers Angolan Upwelling SST by ~0.35°C under high emissions, countering warming through enhanced mixing and reduced solar radiation, with winds and coastal waves also influencing changes.
Effect of regional marine cloud brightening on land climate | Authors: Long Cao, Yu Fang and Jiu Jiang
CESM simulations show MCB can stabilize temperatures, reduce drought, and boost productivity, but abrupt termination triggers rapid warming, posing major ecological and governance risks.
Sensitivity of projected Afro-Asian monsoon precipitation to solar radiation management | Authors: Tolulope E. Adeliyi, Akintomide A. Akinsanola
GeoMIP simulations show SRM reduces heavy and extreme rainfall while increasing consecutive wet days, altering monsoon timing, and generally lowering population exposure, though some regions still face heightened risks.
Impact of solar radiation management in anomalous atmosphere in Indonesia Case Study: The extreme rainfall of surigae tropical cyclone in papua province, indonesia | Authors: Hendri, Ahmad Faqih, Sorja Koesuma, et al.
SRM simulations suggest reduced tropical cyclone rainfall in eastern Indonesia, but GeoMIP simplifications may underestimate precipitation impacts.
Spatiotemporal characteristics of aerosols and low clouds from MODIS and their implications for marine cloud brightening | Authors: Liya Niu, Chuanfeng Zhao, et al.
MODIS-based analysis shows Marine Cloud Brightening potential is highly regionally variable, with uncertain and sometimes decoupled cloud responses, requiring dynamic sensitivity-based assessment.
Stakeholder and Expert Opinion of Solar Radiation Modification in South Asia: Insights into Perceptions, Geopolitical, and Governance Concerns in Bangladesh | Authors: Md. Sadique Rahman, Fatema Sarker, et al.
Stakeholder analysis shows mixed views on SRM in Bangladesh, balancing potential benefits with risks, while emphasizing adaptation, further research, and the need for globally coordinated governance.
Spatiotemporal characteristics of aerosols and low clouds from MODIS and their implications for marine cloud brightening | Authors: Liya Niu, Chuanfeng Zhao, et al.
Satellite analysis shows Marine Cloud Brightening potential is highly region-dependent and variable, requiring dynamic, system-level evaluation rather than static assessments.
Strong light absorption by sp2 hybridized carbon impurities in diamond dust | Authors: Joshin Kumar, Gwan-Yeong Jung, Taveen S. Kapoor, et al.
Simulation shows impurities in diamond dust aerosols can reduce reflectivity and even cause warming, challenging their viability for stratospheric aerosol injection.
Expertise at the Limits of Quantified Risk: Social Constructions of Ignorance in the Scientific Controversy on Solar Geoengineering | Authors: Johan Daniel Andersson, Anders Hansson, Mathias Fridahl
Analysis shows trust in solar geoengineering expertise rests on clarifying “unknown unknowns,” turning deep uncertainty into transparent, actionable knowledge rather than precise risk estimates.
Climate Intervention and Mitigation: Strategic Responses to Technological Advances in Solar Geoengineering | Authors: Todd L. Cherry, Stephan Kroll & David M. McEvoy
Experiments show solar geoengineering can boost cooperation but reduce mitigation as effectiveness rises, with unequal responses across groups based on perceived benefits and vulnerability.
Vital Ice: Controversies over Glacier Geoengineering in Chile | Authors: Cristián Simonetti and Fernando Purcell
This article shows geoengineering proposals in Chile treat glaciers as movable assets, clashing with scientific views of them as complex, place-bound systems and raising legal and political concerns.
Evaluating simulations of ship tracks in a km-scale model | Authors: Anna Tippett, Paul R. Field, and Edward Gryspeerdt
Analysis of ship tracks shows models often overestimate MCB effects, misrepresent cloud evolution and drizzle suppression, leading to exaggerated cooling estimates.
A multiplicity of tomorrows from ‘giving the world cancer’ to ‘colonizing space’: Imagining 299 climate intervention futures from a foresight exercise across 44 focus groups | Authors: Benjamin K. Sovacool, Livia Fritz, Chad M. Baum, et al.
Global focus groups reveal mixed public perceptions of climate interventions, balancing optimism about innovation with concerns over risks and inequality, underscoring the need for inclusive policymaking.
A Climate Intervention Dynamical Emulator (CIDER) for scenario space exploration | Authors: Jared Farley, Douglas G. MacMartin, Daniele Visioni, et al.
Researchers developed a fast climate emulator (CIDER) that enables rapid exploration of diverse SAI scenarios, capturing key climate responses at a fraction of the cost of full models.
Sensitivity of Marine Cloud Brightening over the Great Barrier Reef to Spatial Variability in Aerosol Forcing: A Case Study using convection-permitting model - Preprint | Authors: Wenhui Zhao, Yi Huang, Steven Siems, and Daniel Harrison
High-resolution simulations show MCB can enhance cloud reflectivity over the Great Barrier Reef mainly via the Twomey effect, with effectiveness highly sensitive to emission design and conditions.
Defining Scales of Field Studies and Experiments to Assess Marine Cloud Brightening | Authors: Sarah J. Doherty, Michael S. Diamond, Robert Wood, Haruki Hirasawa
Researchers propose a structured framework for SRM field experiments, linking scale, goals, and detectability metrics to support informed research and governance despite limited knowledge of impacts.
A Stratospheric Hose for Solar Radiation Management - Preprint | Authors: Roderick Hyde
Analysis shows a balloon-supported high-altitude hose could enable continuous, low-cost SAI delivery (~100 kt/yr per system), with scalable networks potentially offsetting warming despite engineering challenges.
Climate Intervention through Stratospheric Aerosol Injection may partially mitigate marine heatwaves - Preprint | Authors: Lala Kounta, Lifeng Luo, Gouri Anil, Daniel M. Hueholt, et al.
Simulations show SAI could reduce marine heatwave intensity and duration across much of the ocean, but significant regional hotspots would still experience worsening conditions.
Is the Global South still absent from the SRM governance arena? A wake-up call in 2026 - Preprint | Authors: Yvette Ramos, Luisa Schmidt, Filipe Duarte Santos
This study shows SRM governance is fragmented and Global North–dominated, risking SDG outcomes, and calls for more inclusive, transparent, and equitable international frameworks.
SAI and L1 Space Sunshading Mass Requirements for Climate Mitigation: Fictitious Aerosol Disk Validation of SAI and Sunshade Formula Corrections - Preprint | Authors: Alec Feinberg
Analysis shows corrected estimates drastically reduce L1 sunshade mass requirements, but SAI remains far less material-intensive (~1,000 t SO₂/yr), highlighting mass as a key constraint across geoengineering approaches.
Solar Geoengineering Potential in Flood Assuagement in Four East African Cities - Preprint | Authors: Herbert O. Misiani, Betty N. Barasa, et al.
Simulations show SAI could reduce flood depth and extent in parts of East African cities, lowering exposure, though uncertainties remain due to rainfall modeling and framework limitations.
Exploring divergent long-term stratospheric aerosol injection scenarios with the G2-SAI and ARISE-hybrid experiments - Preprint | Authors: Walker Raymond Lee, Simone Tilmes, and Ewa M. Bednarz
This study shows that different SAI injection strategies can achieve similar global temperatures but drive divergent Earth system responses, including AMOC changes, underscoring the importance of long-term simulations and experiment design.
Mitigating Non-stationarity in Machine Learning-Based Downscaling of Climate Projections - Preprint | Authors: Yue Wang, Daniele Visioni, Ben Kravitz, Douglas G MacMartin, Dhruv Balwada
This study shows that standard ML downscaling fails under warming and SRM conditions, but residual learning with pixel-wise detrending reduces errors (RMSE <0.27 °C), enabling faster, high-resolution downscaling of GeoMIP (G6sulfur) simulations.
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WEB POSTS
Solar Geoengineering Updates - Monthly Solar Geoengineering Updates (February’2026)
Planetary Sunshade Foundation - Space Reflector Baseline Survey - Boulder Workshop
Inside Climate News - A New Generation of Climate Scientists Warm Up to Solar Geoengineering
Forbes - Declining Aerosol Pollution Linked To Increased Solar Radiation, Study Finds
Iowa Capital Dispatch - House passes bills to ban cloud seeding and to enhance animal torture penalties
Grist - The US barely bothers to track geoengineering. What could go wrong?
Heinrich Böll Stiftung - Who Funds and Who Pays: The funding of solar geoengineering, 2020–2025
X - The Dose Makes the Poison
Inevitable & Obvious - The Generosity of Spirit - The type of leadership that climate stabilization will depend on
Clean Energy Wire - Foundation calls for rules to prohibit solar radiation management as global investments rise
University of Birmingham - Why cutting emissions still matters more than ever
CSEi - CSEi Announces Latest Research Awards
LinkedIn - Learning from one-another to govern research into the unknown: reflections ahead of the Co-CREATE Forum
NRDC - Ignorance Is Not an Option: Why NRDC Is Engaging on Solar Geoengineering
LinkedIn - Protecting American Weather Sovereignty - Strategies for a Safe and Secure Atmosphere for America
E&E News by Politico - US should lead on planet-cooling technology for national security, report says
Havasu News - Hobbs vetoes Arizona bills on solar geoengineering, DPS funding and petition circulators
Office of the Dean for Research - Six research projects receive Sustainability of Our Planet funding
SRM360 - Iceland and the AMOC: When Existence Is at Stake
LinkedIn - How should we think about SRM in relation to the possibility of AMOC collapse?
DSG - When Governance Lags: What Other Technologies Reveal About SRM
Liberation - How a start-up wants to cool the planet by spraying particles into the atmosphere
TXCCRI - Clearing the Air: An Analysis of Weather Modification, Old and New
Legal Planet - Policy Implications of Accelerating Warming
AMS Headlines - NCAR Stories: A Shared Hub of Science Under Threat
Co-Create - Collective learning to govern research into the unknown: reflections ahead of the Co-CREATE Forum on SRM Research Governance
GAO - Science & Tech Spotlight: Solar Geoengineering
WashU - Diamonds are not a geoengineer’s best friend
DSG - The Space to Think is Not a Luxury
Legal Planet - Earth is Getting Darker. Here’s Why That’s Alarming
Operaatio Arktis - Tipping points threaten societies
Tifi Global - Hydrological warfare? A declassified document accused the CIA of Weather Control, Poisoned Skies Sparking Fresh ‘Chemtrails’ Debate
SRM360 - Different Takes: Could SRM Be Weaponised?
nrc - Science is being very cautious, but the private company Stardust is already making serious plans to dim the sun
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REPORTS
DSG - DSG 2025 Impact Report
ACCF - The National Security Case for U.S. Leadership In SRM Technology
Reflective - Reflective 2025 Annual Report
EGU26 SRM PAPERS
EGU26: Session CL3.1.5 - Advances in Understanding Solar Radiation Modification Technologies and their Impact on the Earth System
Research Papers
Session AS3.7: Clouds, Aerosols, Radiation and Precipitation
Research Papers
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JOB OPPORTUNITIES
Postdoctoral Position in Aerosol-Cloud Interactions and Marine Cloud Brightening
Prof. Hongwei Sun at the University of Hawaii at Manoa is seeking a postdoctoral researcher to conduct innovative research on Small-Scale Aerosol-Cloud Interactions within Marine Boundary Layer.
The successful candidate will conduct innovative research on using high-resolution models (e.g., SAM, WRF-Chem) and observational data to advance the process-level understanding of aerosol-cloud interactions (ACIs) within the marine boundary layer. Key research questions include how the background environment (e.g., global warming factors [Sun et al., 2026]) and aerosol type (e.g., sulfate aerosols from the Big Island volcanic eruptions) influence ACIs. Improved process-level understanding of ACIs could help optimize their parameterizations in global climate models (GCMs). The candidate may also contribute to exploring innovative injection strategies for marine cloud brightening (MCB), considering cloud microphysics and cloud radiative efficacy. The candidate will have the opportunity to collaborate with multiple research teams at the University of Washington, Washington University in St. Louis, and the University of Chicago.
Research Assistant or Associate in Atmospheric Simulation of Solar Radiation Modification at Imperial College London | South Kensington
“With global temperatures projected to exceed 2C above preindustrial and carbon emissions still growing, there is increasing concern that solar radiation modification (SRM) may be deployed to counteract harmful effects of climate change. However the impacts of SRM on (eg) monsoons, extreme weather, and air quality are poorly understood. We seek to develop and apply atmospheric models (e.g. GCMs and CTMs) to better understand the potential risks of such measures.”
Research Fellow, Weather and Atmospheric Interventions at Foundation for American Innovation
“Reporting to the Director of Science Policy, this person will be responsible for producing original research and commentary, developing policy events and convenings, and supporting FAI’s science policy team, with an emphasis on work around atmospheric science, weather data infrastructure, weather modification, and climate intervention governance. This full-time position is based in Washington, DC.”
Student Internship: Open Science for Reflective’s SAI Uncertainty Database at Reflective | San Francisco, CA
“Reflective is a climate research nonproft with the mission to equip the world with the data and tools needed to make informed decisions about sunlight reflection technologies, fast enough to matter.”
Research Laboratory Technician at Centre for Climate Repair | University of Cambridge
“Centre for Climate Repair is looking to appoint a skilled technician to provide highly specialist technical support to enable the effective operation of the Centre for Climate Repair’s Marine Cloud Brightening and Stratospheric Aerosol Injection laboratories based at the Department of Engineering’s site in Central Cambridge.”
Senior Manager, Climate Tech and Innovation at FAS | Washington, DC
“The Federation of American Scientists is seeking a Senior Manager, Climate Tech and Innovation. In this role, you will play an integral role in guiding and growing FAS’ emerging program on Climate Tech and Innovation. This program focuses on building support for cutting-edge research in overlooked areas, while harnessing market and economic forces to scale high-impact environmental and climate solutions. A major initial focus of this role will be building support for responsible research into climate interventions and promoting productive, science-based dialogues around climate interventions among policymakers and in the public discourse.”
Postdoctoral Scholar – Climate Systems Engineering, Optimization, and Climate Modeling at The University of Chicago
“Professor Dorian Abbot of the University of Chicago and Assistant Professor Ashesh Chattopadhyay of the University of California, Santa Cruz invite applications for a postdoctoral position at the intersection of climate systems engineering, optimization, and AI weather and climate modeling. This position will focus on developing next-generation methodologies for the design, analysis, and optimization of climate interventions and Earth system processes using state-of-the-art machine learning, dynamical systems theory, and data-driven modeling approaches.”
UPCOMING EVENTS
21 April | San Francisco, California - Stabilize Earth by Devonian Systems
03-08 May | Vienna, Austria & Online - EGU26
13-15 May | University of Nottingham - IAA Planetary Sunshade Workshop by Planetary Sunshade Foundation
18 May | University of Chicago - Frontiers in Climate Systems Engineering by CSEi
28 – 29 May | Belgium - International Forum on Solar Radiation Modification Research Governance by Co-Create
02-04 June | Rwanda - The IAF Global Space Conference on Climate Change 2026 - Uniting Space and Earth for Climate Resilience
20-21 June | United States - Bridging the Knowledge Gaps in Climate Engineering with Experiments, Models, and Observations by Gordon Research Seminar
21-26 June 2026 | United States - Gordon Research Conference - Bridging Observations, Models, and Impacts in Solar Radiation Modification Research
Solar Geoengineering Events Calendar
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PODCASTS
As interest in geoengineering grows, lack of oversight poses risks | Here & Now Newsroom
“A new report warns of a concerning lack of oversight into geoengineering, or weather manipulation.
Here & Now’s Peter O’Dowd speaks with Grist’s climate news reporting fellow Rebecca Egan McCarthy about the spread of geoengineering and how it can be used to fight climate change.”
What We Don’t Know About Cooling the Planet — Dakota Gruener, CEO of Reflective | Inevitable & Obvious
“Stratospheric aerosol injection might be one of the only interventions that could reduce global warming on the timescales that actually matter, but we don’t yet know enough to say if it’s completely worth the potential tradeoffs, and we’re not on track to find out in time. Dakota Gruener is the founder and CEO of Reflective, an independent nonprofit trying to change that by radically accelerating the research. In this conversation, we talk about what it would take to actually evaluate SAI:
-The tools Reflective has built to map the unknowns
-The case for something like clinical trials for the atmosphere
-Why Dakota thinks the worst outcome isn’t deployment but decisions being forced before the science is ready.”
Why Money is Flowing into Geoengineering | Bloomberg Primer
“Is geoengineering a dangerous notion whose time has come? Scientists and entrepreneurs are testing radical ideas like solar radiation management and ocean fertilisation - and finding funding for it.”
“Are You Going To Stop Me Cooling The Earth?” — Luke Iseman, Founder of Make Sunsets | Inevitable & Obvious
“Luke Iseman is putting sulfur dioxide into the stratosphere with high-altitude balloons and selling cooling credits to pay for it. And he doesn’t care if you approve.
Make Sunsets is maybe the most polarizing company in climate interventions right now, and I wanted to have Luke on the show so we could learn more about how they think and what their goals are. We discussed the question that if we assuming cooling the planet is necessary (and we both believe it is), does that justify acting without institutional permission? We get into the energy math on carbon removal, the governance question, and a wealthy customer who may be planning to personally fund enough deployment to measurably cool the planet.”
Should we block some sunlight to cool the planet? A conversation with Dakota Gruener of Reflective | Volts
“In this episode, Dakota Gruener of Reflective walks me through her organization’s new project, which maps the gaps in our scientific understanding of stratospheric aerosol injection — currently the leading candidate for directly cooling the planet. We get into what we don’t know (including a factor-of-two disagreement on basic aerosol physics), who’s already doing this without oversight, and the unsettling governance question of who controls the Earth’s thermostat once humanity has grabbed it.”
The Most Dangerous Technology in the World? - Wim Carton | Urgent Futures with Jesse Damiani
“Geoengineering might sound nice in theory, but the consequences could be disastrous. Today’s guest, Wim Carton, co-wrote The Long Heat with Andreas Malm, which helps paint the full picture.”
YOUTUBE VIDEOS
CSEi Seminar Featuring Holly Jean Buck (University of Buffalo) | UChicago Climate Systems Engineering initiative
“Title: The fantasy of “social tipping points” — and what it can teach us about incorporating social feedbacks into climate response strategies
This talk reviews these nascent frameworks and identifies limitations in how modelers approach the incorporation of social factors into solar geoengineering research, assessment, and governance. It connects these efforts to broader questions about how social dynamics are represented in mitigation science, discourse and policy. The talk then outlines an alternative approach to incorporating social dynamics into responding to climate change — one grounded in qualitative research and civic engagement.”
Geoengineering: Catalyst or Threat? | Arctic Circle
“PANELISTS
Dalee Sambo Dorough, Senior Scholar, University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA), USA
Shaun Fitzgerald, Director, Centre for Climate Repair, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom
Mark Symes, Programme Director, ARIA - Advanced Research and Invention Agency, United Kingdom”
Geoengineering: from controversy to conflict | Open University
“Geoengineering, a term encompassing a set of climate modification techniques to combat global warming, is increasingly present in scientific, media, and diplomatic circles. Its gradual development raises major controversies, particularly concerning the risks and justice issues raised by these techniques. Simultaneously, the lack of clear international regulation and the growing power of state and private actors fuel geopolitical tensions. Internationally, the controversial nature of geoengineering can thus become a real factor in international rivalries and conflicts. Marine de Guglielmo Weber, a researcher at IRSEM, will analyze these controversies and their security implications for the global climate regime. The Open University lecture and debate series, organized by CY Cergy Paris University, invites lecturers who are either faculty members at CY or researchers from outside the university.”
CIDER: A Climate Intervention Dynamical Emulator | Remove and Reflect Podcast
“This episode discusses the Climate Intervention Dynamical Emulator (CIDER) which is a high-speed computational tool designed to predict regional and global climate responses to Stratospheric Aerosol Injection (SAI). While traditional Earth System Models (ESMs) are too expensive for broad scenario exploration, CIDER can rapidly simulate variables like temperature, precipitation, and sea ice at a negligible cost. The emulator is trained on existing climate data to capture how injecting sulfur dioxide at different latitudes impacts the planet over time. It is specifically capable of modeling uncoordinated deployment scenarios, where multiple independent actors might begin or terminate cooling efforts with different regional goals. Although it does not replace the complexity of full ESMs, it provides a vital platform for policy communication, education, and rapid scenario testing. Consequently, CIDER allows researchers to identify promising climate intervention strategies before committing to more intensive atmospheric simulations.”
Could Shading the Earth Stop Climate Change? | The Geoengineering Debate Explained | YitWorks
“If the world is getting too hot, why not just give it some shade? In this video, we explore the radical and highly controversial science of solar geoengineering—a proposed technological solution to global warming that aims to rapidly halt rising temperatures by reflecting the sun’s rays back into space.
Is this the emergency backup plan we need to save millions of lives, or is it a dangerous distraction that could trigger global conflict and catastrophic side effects?”
Into the Heart of the Doomsday Glacier | The Explorers Club
“On 13 March, the Explorers Club welcomes Professor David Holland, the leading polar scientist whose recent expedition aboard the Korean icebreaker RV Araon pushed into the remote waters where warm ocean currents are destabilizing the glacier from below.
Holland will share new insights from this high‑risk, high‑reward mission: navigating shifting sea ice, deploying ocean instruments in brutal conditions, and collaborating with an international team racing to understand the future of global sea‑level rise.
Expect gripping field stories, cutting‑edge science, and a clear-eyed look at the glacier often called the “Doomsday Glacier”—a place whose fate may shape coastlines for generations.
This is a night for explorers, scientists, and anyone who wants to understand the front lines of our changing planet.”
A Shadow at the End of the Tunnel | Catello Leonardo Matonti | TEDx Talks
“Catello Leonardo Matonti shares his fascinating project: a planetary sunshade designed to protect Earth from the most extreme effects of climate change. A space engineer and entrepreneur, he co-founded ASTRO Srl, a startup focused on innovative tethered satellite systems for Earth observation and maritime surveillance in the Mediterranean. As a researcher, he studies the mitigation of anthropogenic climate change from space. After graduating cum laude and winning international awards such as the Telespazio Technology Contest, he develops solar sail swarms and space solutions aligned with SDG 13 – Climate Action. Passionate about connecting humans and the environment, he transforms scientific visions into concrete projects with global impact.”
Sunscreen for the planet by Daniele Visioni & Dakota Gruener | Works in Progress
“The world is warming faster than we can cut emissions. Volcanoes are already cooling the planet, with particles that reflect sunlight. Maybe we can too.”
“The Last Resort: Could Geoengineering Save the AMOC from Collapse?” – Dr. Claudia Wieners | Nick Breeze ClimateGenn
“In this episode, Nick Breeze speaks with Dr. Claudia Wieners, climate scientist at the University of Utrecht, to explore one of the most urgent and controversial questions in climate science: could Stratospheric Aerosol Injection (SAI) be used to prevent the collapse of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC)?”
Co-CREATE Seminar - Funding SRM Research Responsibly: From Principles to Practice and Back | Climate Strategies
Could Solar Geoengineering Help Prevent AMOC Collapse? | SRM360
“An expert panel featuring Laurie Laybourn, David Thornalley, and John Moore discuss:
– What is the AMOC and why is it important?
– Could climate change cause the AMOC to collapse and what would the consequences be?
– Could solar geoengineering help to stabilise the AMOC, and what risks could it bring?”
Global Tipping Points in Oceanic and Atmospheric Circulations — Can SRM Back Us Off from the Brink? | Paul Beckwith
“Continued anthropogenic pressures on the Earth system hold the potential to disrupt established circulation patterns in the ocean and atmosphere.
In this narrative review, we investigate tipping points in these systems by assessing scientific evidence for feedbacks that may drive self-sustained change beyond critical forcing thresholds, drawing on insights from expert elicitation. The literature provides multiple strands of evidence for oceanic tipping points in the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC), the North Atlantic subpolar gyre (SPG), and the Antarctic Overturning Circulation, which may collapse under warmer and “fresher” (i.e. less salty) conditions.”
“The Unknowability of Solar Geoengineering and Why it Matters” by Prof. Daniel P. Schrag | Oxford Climate Research Network
“OCRN is pleased to present our annual lecture for 2026 featuring Prof. Daniel P. Schrag from Harvard University speaking on “The Unknowability of Solar Geoengineering and Why it Matters.”
Racing Towards Hothouse Earth | Climate Emergency Forum
“In this episode we unpack the latest warnings about a potential Hothouse Earth trajectory. They explain what this term actually means, why it would be unsurvivable for human civilization, and how multiple amplifying feedbacks and tipping points are pushing us toward dangerous new territory.”
The conversation digs into new research, including updated timelines showing how quickly we may reach 2 °C and beyond, the accelerating loss of Arctic sea ice, weakening carbon sinks, and the growing risk from permafrost thaw and ocean heat buildup. Peter and Paul also explore the difference between probability and risk, and why current scenarios amount to what they call a “global suicide” pathway if left unchanged.
Finally, the panel discusses what it would actually take to avoid a Hothouse Earth outcome, arguing that deep emissions cuts alone are no longer enough. They outline a three‑part response: rapid fossil fuel phase‑out, large‑scale carbon removal, and carefully governed planetary cooling measures to buy time and prevent crossing irreversible tipping points.”
We Just Lost Earth’s “Parasol” – And Warming Is About to Accelerate | Just Have a Think
“The three warmest years on record are 2023, 2024 and 2025. It’s starting to look a bit like a trend, and not in the direction we want. Now a team of financial risk managers has crunched the data and published their findings on what’s likely to be causing the uplift. It’s not great news!”
Anthropocene Problem: Can Humans combat climate change by being more direct in nature? | Ah17
“This presentation examines how human activity in the Anthropocene has disrupted Earth’s climate through greenhouse gas emissions and environmental change. It explains the growing climate crisis and introduces solar geoengineering, particularly Solar Radiation Management (SRM), as a proposed method to reflect sunlight and temporarily cool the planet. The presentation evaluates both the potential benefits and risks of these technologies, including environmental, health, and ethical concerns, and discusses real-world examples of atmospheric modification such as volcanic cooling and cloud seeding. It ultimately asks whether humanity should attempt to deliberately control the climate or focus on reducing the emissions that caused the problem.”
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