Solar radiation modification: What should Europe’s strategy be?


At this webinar held on 23rd January, a high-level panel examined the strategic issues behind SRM.

Following the Scientific Advice Mechanism’s recent reports on Solar radiation modification, we are holding a series of webinars considering the issues around SRM. In the first webinar of the series, we focused on strategy and policy, exploring SRM technologies, their purposes, potential deployment, associated risks and consequences, stakeholder attitudes and interests, and the strategy and policy Europe should adopt regarding SRM research and potential deployment.

Key points

  • Accelerated global warming has led to an increased interest in technologies like SRM. However, the risks, potential impacts and unintended consequences of these technologies are poorly understood.  The Group of Chief Scientific Advisors was asked to consider the risks and opportunities associated with SRM, and possible options for a governance system. The European Group on Ethics (EGE) was asked to assess ethical aspects of SRM.
  • A SAPEA Working Group of 20 experts from different disciplines, countries, career stages and stance on SRM examined the evidence. The SAPEA report looks at technologies and their state of readiness, alongside potential effects, impacts and side-effects of SRM. The report also considers stakeholder perceptions of SRM, as well as ethics, justice and other concerns. Finally, it addresses governance and legal considerations.
  • The Scientific Opinion of the Group of Chief Scientific Advisors makes recommendations in 5 policy areas, based on the SAPEA evidence review. Similarly, the Opinion of the European Group on Ethics analyses knowledge gaps and uncertainties around SRM and maps societal and ethical concerns.
  • The scientific advice provides a key basis for considerations and deliberations on both the European and international levels.

Following speaker presentations, an interactive Q&A session covered areas such as satellite monitoring, moratoria, and the prospects of a global consensus on SRM.

Speakers

  • Professor Nebojša Nakićenović MAE, Deputy Chair, Group of Chief Scientific Advisors
  • Professor Eric Lambin MAE, Group of Chief Scientific Advisors
  • Professor Nils-Eric Sahlin MAE, Deputy Chair of the European Group on Ethics in Science and Technologies
  • Dušan Chrenek, Principal Adviser, Directorate-General for Climate Action, European Commission –
  • Professor Johannes Quaas, Professor of Theoretical Meteorology, Leipzig University; Co-Chair of the SAPEA Working Group shared the activities of the working group.
  • Professor Benjamin Sovacool MAE, Director of Institute for Global Sustainability, Boston University; Professor of Energy Policy, University of Sussex; Co-Chair of the SAPEA Working Group

Watch the webinar

View the slides

View the slides here.

Upcoming webinars

Find out about other upcoming webinars in the series. All webinars in this series are free and open to all.



Posted 28th January 2025.  For further information please contact AECardiffHub@cardiff.ac.uk




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