Strengthening Regional Capacity on SRM Governance: Reflections from our Collaborative Workshop in Bogota

Earlier this month, DSG travelled to Bogotá to deliver a regional capacity-building workshop for Latin America and Caribbean government representatives on the governance of Solar Radiation Modification (SRM), co-organized with the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI), The Degrees Initiative, and hosted by the Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environmental Studies (IDEAM) of Colombia.

This workshop was developed in response to interest expressed by several Latin American governments that participated in the UNEA-6 negotiations on the SRM resolution tabled by Switzerland. Given the growing political attention surrounding SRM — underscored by recent developments such as the IUCN’s adoption of a motion calling for a policy on geoengineering — DSG and its partners sought to ensure that government representatives across the region have sufficient knowledge of the underlying scientific, ethical, and governance considerations, to effectively advise their negotiators in preparation for any future deliberations on SRM in multilateral forums.

The workshop brought together more than 45 participants, including representatives from 13 IAI Parties, for two days of dialogue, learning, and deliberative exercises. Participants were deeply engaged throughout the event and proved open to exploring the scientific, political, and ethical nuances of SRM in a constructive and inquisitive way. One of the main takeaways of this workshop is that, contrary to common assumptions that Global South countries might be reluctant to engage with such a nascent controversial issue, participants welcomed the opportunity to learn, question, and test perspectives. During a multilateral negotiation simulation that the organizers designed, participants set aside personal or national viewpoints to negotiate from assigned roles, an exercise that revealed the diversity of reasoning and values that shape international deliberations on SRM.

Additional interactive components, including breakout discussions and a game designed by Dr. Pablo Suarez, encouraged participants to engage actively with the subject matter and with one another, fostering a nuanced understanding of the governance challenges and opportunities ahead. This spirit of openness and collaboration across the region was deeply encouraging.

Participants left with a recognition of the complexity inherent in discussions on SRM, an understanding of the knowledge that must be conveyed to national decision-makers, and a desire to continue engaging with both policymakers and researchers on a regional or national level.

As SRM continues to appear more frequently in global climate forums, building capacity for informed, balanced, and inclusive participation remains essential. DSG and its partners will prepare a report on the outcomes and key insights from this workshop - stay tuned for its release. 

We look forward to continuing to engage with participants of this workshop and with government and civil society representatives across Latin America and the Caribbean, supporting participatory, evidence-based deliberations on SRM that reflect diverse perspectives and regional priorities.

Photo credit: IDEAM