Solar Geoengineering: Warnings from Scientists, Indigenous Peoples, Youth, and Climate Activists

Once relegated to the fringe of the climate debate, plans to use solar geoengineering to mask rising temperatures are receiving increasing attention from some scientists, governments, and the media. Catchy headlines about silver bullet fixes often downplay the real and profound risks that such technologies pose — including potentially devastating harm to ecosystems, increased droughts and extreme weather events, and the disruption of food production for millions of people around the world. These impacts would affect all of us, but would fall most heavily on Indigenous peoples and communities in the Global South. The illusion of a technological quick fix could also delay real climate solutions, putting both present and future generations at risk.

With billionaires funding projects, governments now actively subsidizing geoengineering research, and proponents pushing for real world experiments, this technology is no longer a distant and abstract risk. It is a pressing concern for communities, youth and climate movements around the world. One such project — the highly controversial SCoPEx solar geoengineering experiment — was scheduled to take place over Saami Indigenous territories. Together, scientists, the Saami Indigenous people, Swedish and international climate movements were able to defeat the experiment. This same coalition is determined not to let any similar experiments happen on Indigenous land or anywhere else.

At this virtual event, leading scientists, Indigenous leaders, youth and climate activists will discuss the growing risks and unequal impacts of solar geoengineering and explore how climate action is possible without dangerous technological fixes: Featuring scientific perspectives from Michael Mann, Raymond Pierrehumbert, and Jennie Stephens. Along with leading voices from movements, Indigenous peoples and the Global South: Tom Goldtooth, Naomi Klein, Åsa Larson-Blind, Bill McKibben, Vandana Shiva, and Greta Thunberg.

Event Organizers:

The Center for International Environmental Law, ETC Group, Heinrich Böll Foundation, Indigenous Environmental Network, Saami Council, WhatNext?, in collaboration with the Hands Off Mother Earth! (HOME) Campaign, The Swedish Stop SCoPEx Network and Researcher’s Desk.

The virtual event will take place on Wednesday, June 9, 2021 from 11:00 AM to 1:30 PM ET. Jennie C. Stephens will be participating in the “Perspectives from Scientists” panel from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM.