History and Position

The Alliance for Just Deliberation on Solar Geoengineering (DSG) was launched in April 2023 as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with a mission to work towards just and inclusive deliberation about research and potential use of solar geoengineering.

DSG was founded to empower civil society and other policy actors to engage in solar geoengineering policy and decision-making. Importantly, DSG is not positioned as an advocacy-oriented organization – this means we do not advocate for or against solar geoengineering deployment. Take a closer look at our mission and principles.

Solar geoengineering is a growing field with increasing momentum across the public, private, and academic sectors. Research efforts are expanding rapidly, and press coverage is mounting. There has been a notable increase in attention on solar geoengineering globally, driven by rising concerns that reducing emissions and scaling up carbon dioxide removal will be insufficient to limit severe and worsening climate impacts. Prominent and influential entities and organizations such as the IPCC, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and the U.S. National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) are starting to examine these controversial proposed methods of reflecting sunlight away from the planet. In its 2023 report One Atmosphere, UNEP called for more just and inclusive deliberation on this technology.

Building a pathway to Inclusive engagement

Despite growing scientific attention and calls for broader inclusion, the policy landscape around solar geoengineering is often polarized, with extreme positions both for and against the technology dominating the discourse. This polarization can also influence the research landscape, shaping funding priorities and public perception. Such dynamics make it challenging to foster a legitimate and nuanced dialogue on solar geoengineering governance and research.

Both sides of the debate—those who oppose solar geoengineering and those who advocate for its rapid advancement—can contribute to a skewed perception of the field, overshadowing the need for measured and inclusive dialogue. This environment discourages many environmental NGOs and international climate actors from engaging productively, leaving a vacuum where constructive civil society voices could play a critical role in shaping policy and holding governments accountable. Without widespread and diverse involvement, the narrative is dominated by a limited set of perspectives, often sidelining the voices of climate-vulnerable communities and nations.

To break this cycle, it’s essential to encourage inclusive engagement that considers the full spectrum of views and prioritizes the needs and concerns of those most affected by climate change.

Our Commitment

There is a clear and critical need to place the perspectives of climate-vulnerable communities and nations at the center of the solar geoengineering conversation. These populations stand to gain or lose the most from advancements in solar geoengineering research efforts and any potential deployment. While the importance of diverse voices is widely acknowledged across actors in this space, there has been little focus on how to meaningfully do so. Effective engagement in international forums on this topic requires an informed and diverse group of participants, including policymakers and civil society organizations.

DSG is committed to focusing our efforts on procedural justice, which refers to fairness in decision making and resource allocation. We recognize that the window of opportunity to engage with these difficult realities and push for change is both narrow and closing quickly. In the current moment, many organizations give occasional lip service to inclusion and justice, but this field requires an organization that is committed to this as part of its foundational mission. By championing true inclusivity and equity, we aim to reshape the conversation and drive lasting change.

Our Funders

Our work is currently supported by the Bernard and Anne Spitzer Charitable Trust, the Crankstart Foundation, Giving Green, the LAD Climate Fund, Open Philanthropy, and Outlier Projects.

DSG’s work is most effective when we preserve our credibility and integrity. We commit to being fully transparent about our funders, and we seek to avoid any funding that may undermine trust. With this in mind, we do not accept donations from: