Grappling with accelerating climate risks – Is it time to explore research into solar radiation modification?

With the world on track to 3°C of warming by the end of this century, the scientific community and a growing number of institutions are exploring climate technologies that could reduce the worst impacts of global warming.

These include Solar Radiation Modification (SRM): intentional, large-scale approaches designed to cool the planet by enhancing the reflection of sunlight back into space. They are not a substitute for emissions reductions, but could potentially help manage the consequences of a significantly warmer world, including widespread crop failures, the collapse of critical ecosystems, the inundation of low-lying nations, and the intensification of climate-driven conflict and displacement.

Some have called them ‘technologies of desperation’ – an idea that only exists because of persistent delays in mitigation efforts.

While deployment is not currently an option – due to serious environmental, social, ethical, and geopolitical concerns – public research in this field remains underfunded, especially in the EU. This gap is opening the door for private capital to step in, often without the transparency or public oversight of such sensitive work demands. Without public funding, the EU risks limiting its ability to build in-house expertise needed to shape the science and influence the crucial international governance decisions that will eventually need to be made.

In late 2024, the EU’s Chief Scientific Advisors, at the request of the European Commission, released an opinion on SRM, recommending that European institutions support responsible and comprehensive research, including on risks and side-effects, ideally backed by public funding.

But this idea is controversial. Critics warn that it could undermine mitigation and adaptation efforts or lead us down a slippery slope toward eventual deployment. Others argue that, without a clear governance framework, we risk having SRM research that is fragmented, opaque, and potentially irresponsible, often led by unaccountable private actors.

A well-defined set of rules could ensure that research remains transparent, accountable, and firmly separated from any premature push for deployment, while keeping the focus squarely on urgent climate action.

Join this Euractiv Hybrid Conference for a discussion on the scientific, ethical, and political dimensions of Solar Radiation Modification research. Together with leading experts and policymakers, we’ll explore:

– What is SRM, what might it offer in the future, and why is it so controversial?

– Could SRM shift global power dynamics, and how can the EU position itself to lead in shaping global rules and safeguards?

– Where are the biggest knowledge gaps and how can public research help fill them, transparently and ethically?

– What would responsible SRM research look like?

– How do we get it right for future generations, ensuring that today’s decisions don’t create tomorrow’s regrets?