Solar radiation management as part of the global policy response to climate change: challenges and opportunities for action

Research Topic: Engineering advice, solar geoengineering and public policy
Solar Radiation Management (SRM) techniques have been proposed to reduce some of the climate risks caused by rising greenhouse gases (GHG) concentration. Although SRM could help lower global mean temperatures without impacting emissions level, it raises significant ethical, legal and social risks that must be urgently addressed before any deployment (Chhetri, Netra, et.al (2018) Governing Solar Radiation Management. Washington, DC: Forum for Climate Engineering Assessment, American University. https://doi.org/10.17606/M6SM17). As recent climate policy frameworks are oriented towards decreasing GHG emissions (e.g., Paris Agreement and the National Determined Contributions), the position SRM should have in national and international agreements is still uncertain. The study aims to examine why SRM is often rejected from national and international agreements and how it might be included in policy frameworks, using exploratory interviews, transdisciplinary workshops and a review of international agreements via policy analysis. The research will investigate the theory underlying engineering advice and examine whether they are effectively applied by policy makers. The study should also help underpin a transdisciplinary approach of engineering-focused issues. Finally, the research shall offer potential effective approaches to SRM policy and technical design to underpin future SRM policy development for the UK.