Mission

The Alliance for Just Deliberation on Solar Geoengineering works towards just and inclusive deliberation about research and potential use of solar geoengineering. 

Justice demands the protection of basic rights, the fair treatment of individuals, and equal opportunity for all to participate in the decisionmaking processes that govern their lives. Solar geoengineering must be assessed through the lens of climate justice – the application of justice to climate change to protect and lift up the most vulnerable. Inclusivity requires improving participation for those who have been disadvantaged, marginalized, and vulnerable through enhanced opportunities, access to resources, voice, and respect for rights. Deliberation involves discussion and processes surrounding decisionmaking.

core beliefs

The Alliance for Just Deliberation on Solar Geoengineering has a set of foundational beliefs that drive why we do our work:

Climate justice is global: Solar geoengineering must be assessed through the lens of global climate justice. 

Solar geoengineering could only ever be additional and temporary: Solar geoengineering can only ever be considered as a temporary complement to rapid and robust emissions reductions, adaptation, and carbon dioxide removal.  

Governance must be early and inclusive: There is a narrow window of opportunity to shape governance in a just way in early stages of solar geoengineering.

People should be empowered to speak for themselves: All communities must speak for themselves and represent their interests in deliberation about solar geoengineering. 

Transparency is key: Transparency in funding, activities, and actors is a prerequisite for legitimacy. 

principles

The work of Alliance for Just Deliberation on Solar Geoengineering is centered on some common principles informing how we do our work: 

Privilege the most vulnerable: The most vulnerable to current and near term climate impacts deserve an impactful voice in solar geoengineering deliberation. DSG will center these voices in our work.  

Weigh all risks: DSG recognizes that justice-oriented engagement requires that all risks must be considered: those stemming from climate impacts in the absence of solar geoengineering as well as risks from potential solar geoengineering deployment scenarios. 

Advocate for process not outcome: DSG is focused on creating just processes and will always strive to work without bias to outcome. 

Empower narrative development, not narrative enforcement: DSG will empower people to formulate their own perspectives on solar geoengineering research and potential deployment rather than boxing them into existing narratives.

Don’t avoid the uncomfortable: Important questions about solar geoengineering are full of contextual nuance and complication. DSG will not avoid difficult conversations when narratives are challenged.

Be an honest broker: Accurate, honest representation of people’s words is vital. DSG will represent different views in an unbiased way. 

Empower civil society: DSG aims to empower civil society to meaningfully engage in solar geoengineering discourse wherever possible. 

Take context into account: Climate vulnerable countries and communities are deeply heterogenous. There are no inherently  good or bad actors. Rather, DSG will have to work to meet our goals within a complicated justice framework.

We can’t skip the slow work: It takes time to build capacity to enable the inclusive participation essential for legitimate governance. DSG will not not skip steps as it works to build just frameworks.