Solar geoengineering

Why even ask people about solar geoengineering, given how risky blocking incoming sunlight could be? We chose to ask people about this because if we continue to fail to act on climate, it is likely that people will continue to suggest solar geoengineering as a possible climate response, with powerful tech funders or random startups being interested in the concept. As long as the concept is floating around, it is important to understand what the public and local community leaders think about the idea.

Here are a few references if you are new to the topic:

In 2021, the National Academies published a study Reflecting Sunlight: Recommendations for Solar Geoengineering Research and Research Governance. Research on this topic has been controversial. Some social scientists have called for a non-use agreement on solar geoengineering and a prohibition on public funding, while other scientists have called for responsible research. A basic introduction to the topic can be found in a 2023 UN Environmental Program report. The American Geophysical Union has been working on ethical principles for climate intervention research.

When it comes to social science, recent studies have used focus groups and surveys to try to better understand the range of ideas and concerns around solar geoengineering in different countries, with a few studies finding higher support in the Global South, though in general people are ambivalent and concerned about environmental risks. The Degrees Initiative is funding social science research in the Global South.