Climate Emergency Needs Global South's Voice on Geoengineering Solution
As the world hurtles towards catastrophic climate change, scientists and policymakers are scrambling to find emergency solutions. One such idea has gained traction: solar geoengineering – deliberately reflecting sunlight to cool the planet. While its proponents argue it can buy us time, critics warn of unknown risks. But who is having this conversation?
In reality, the global south, where the climate crisis is being felt most acutely, remains largely invisible in discussions on solar geoengineering. Rising temperatures, extreme weather events, and altered rainfall patterns are wreaking havoc on health, food, and water security in these regions. Wildfires, heatwaves, droughts, floods, and storms are becoming more frequent and severe, exacerbating existing inequalities.
The concerns about solar geoengineering's impact on different regions are valid. Some areas might benefit from the cooling effect, while others could suffer harmful consequences, such as altered rainfall patterns or ecological shifts. Yet, comprehensive research is essential to accurately determine who would benefit and who would suffer, and how to alleviate any adverse impacts.
Governments in the global south face daunting questions: where do they stand on solar geoengineering? Research funding is scarce, and public debate is nearly nonexistent. The result is a risky silence and a growing gap in knowledge, capacity, and influence. This needs to change – urgently.
However, including the global south in the conversation about climate technologies that can alter the global climate is not only possible but also necessary. We are home to scientific talent and diverse worldviews that can inform global decisions on solar geoengineering. Excluding us risks repeating colonial dynamics that have historically shaped climate policy: solutions designed for us but not with us.
There are signs of constructive change emerging. Some initiatives, such as the Degrees Initiative, are funding scientists from the global south to study how solar geoengineering might affect their regions. However, these efforts remain small and under-resourced.
What is needed now is public research on solar geoengineering led by institutions in the global south. We need research networks rooted in southern universities, funding that supports south-south collaboration, and a global governance framework that ensures equity, transparency, and informed consent.
Engagement does not imply endorsement of solar geoengineering; it means empowering ourselves to ask critical questions, assess potential benefits and risks, take part in policy discussions rooted in local realities, and challenge decisions made elsewhere. Climate justice demands a transparent approach.
Solar geoengineering is no panacea for the climate crisis. It won't stop ocean acidification or end our dependence on fossil fuels. At best, it's a temporary bandage. The risks of unintended consequences, political misuse or abrupt termination remain huge. But ignoring it won't make it go away.
If solar geoengineering is ever considered as part of a planetary emergency response, we must not let it be shaped behind closed doors. Climate justice demands that this conversation be had in the open.
As the world hurtles towards catastrophic climate change, scientists and policymakers are scrambling to find emergency solutions. One such idea has gained traction: solar geoengineering – deliberately reflecting sunlight to cool the planet. While its proponents argue it can buy us time, critics warn of unknown risks. But who is having this conversation?
In reality, the global south, where the climate crisis is being felt most acutely, remains largely invisible in discussions on solar geoengineering. Rising temperatures, extreme weather events, and altered rainfall patterns are wreaking havoc on health, food, and water security in these regions. Wildfires, heatwaves, droughts, floods, and storms are becoming more frequent and severe, exacerbating existing inequalities.
The concerns about solar geoengineering's impact on different regions are valid. Some areas might benefit from the cooling effect, while others could suffer harmful consequences, such as altered rainfall patterns or ecological shifts. Yet, comprehensive research is essential to accurately determine who would benefit and who would suffer, and how to alleviate any adverse impacts.
Governments in the global south face daunting questions: where do they stand on solar geoengineering? Research funding is scarce, and public debate is nearly nonexistent. The result is a risky silence and a growing gap in knowledge, capacity, and influence. This needs to change – urgently.
However, including the global south in the conversation about climate technologies that can alter the global climate is not only possible but also necessary. We are home to scientific talent and diverse worldviews that can inform global decisions on solar geoengineering. Excluding us risks repeating colonial dynamics that have historically shaped climate policy: solutions designed for us but not with us.
There are signs of constructive change emerging. Some initiatives, such as the Degrees Initiative, are funding scientists from the global south to study how solar geoengineering might affect their regions. However, these efforts remain small and under-resourced.
What is needed now is public research on solar geoengineering led by institutions in the global south. We need research networks rooted in southern universities, funding that supports south-south collaboration, and a global governance framework that ensures equity, transparency, and informed consent.
Engagement does not imply endorsement of solar geoengineering; it means empowering ourselves to ask critical questions, assess potential benefits and risks, take part in policy discussions rooted in local realities, and challenge decisions made elsewhere. Climate justice demands a transparent approach.
Solar geoengineering is no panacea for the climate crisis. It won't stop ocean acidification or end our dependence on fossil fuels. At best, it's a temporary bandage. The risks of unintended consequences, political misuse or abrupt termination remain huge. But ignoring it won't make it go away.
If solar geoengineering is ever considered as part of a planetary emergency response, we must not let it be shaped behind closed doors. Climate justice demands that this conversation be had in the open.
Like, we're the ones who are most affected by climate change and rising temperatures 
We should have a say in how our continent is "saved" or not 
I mean, just because some scientists think it could buy us time doesn't mean we should just sit back and do nothing 
We need more research funding from people who actually live here 
And can't we have some kind of global governance framework that prioritizes equity and transparency? 
It's not like we're the only ones who care about our planet 
i'm from an island nation where climate change is already wreaking havoc on our food supply and healthcare systems. it's infuriating to see wealthy nations getting all the attention while we're struggling to survive. can't the global south just have a seat at the table for once? we've got the brains and the experience to help with solar geoengineering, not just be pawns in the game 
. We need to hear more from countries in the global south on solar geoengineering 'cause they're gonna get hurt by it 
. I remember back in my day, we had the whole world talking about climate change, but now it seems like only a few countries are having that conversation 
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. We can't just sit back and let these scientists talk about this stuff without anyone from those regions at the table 
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. They have a unique perspective that can help us make better decisions 
. And, honestly, I'm scared of the potential risks associated with this tech 
. We need to approach it with caution and transparency 
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. It's time for us to take ownership of our planet's future and make sure everyone has a say in the decisions that affect them 
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. The global south has so much knowledge and expertise to share, and it's time we start valuing that 
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. The current lack of representation and funding for scientists from the global south is a stark reminder of colonial-era dynamics that have historically shaped climate policy 
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. The stakes are too high to allow this conversation to remain hidden behind closed doors 
. Climate justice demands transparency, equity, and informed consent – all of which require active engagement from regions most affected by climate change 
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