https://www.sgrg.org/ [image: DSG Logo over header image] <https://sgdeliberation.us21.list-manage.com/track/click?u=ba16bac68a7e6b81c2e18174a&id=e2e554db3e&e=ea41f76822> February 2026
*New Platform Puts Research Governance Principles into Practice for Solar Geoengineering* <https://sgdeliberation.us21.list-manage.com/track/click?u=ba16bac68a7e6b81c2e18174a&id=648ba01fad&e=ea41f76822> As interest in solar geoengineering research continues to grow worldwide, a group of international scientific, policy, and civil society organizations announce the creation of a new platform designed to bring greater clarity, consistency, and public accountability to how this research is governed. The Solar Geoengineering Research Governance <https://sgdeliberation.us21.list-manage.com/track/click?u=ba16bac68a7e6b81c2e18174a&id=b39089962e&e=ea41f76822> (SGRG) Platform is a collaborative effort to provide shared, voluntary tools that help research institutions demonstrate how decisions are made, risks are managed, and public concerns are addressed. View the SGRG Website <https://sgdeliberation.us21.list-manage.com/track/click?u=ba16bac68a7e6b81c2e18174a&id=787afdf4e3&e=ea41f76822> SGRG is being built through a partnership among organizations that are building towards research governance norms, including The Alliance for Just Deliberation on Solar Geoengineering <https://sgdeliberation.us21.list-manage.com/track/click?u=ba16bac68a7e6b81c2e18174a&id=95ff84b55f&e=ea41f76822> , Council on Energy, Environment and Water <https://sgdeliberation.us21.list-manage.com/track/click?u=ba16bac68a7e6b81c2e18174a&id=351998a869&e=ea41f76822> , NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council <https://sgdeliberation.us21.list-manage.com/track/click?u=ba16bac68a7e6b81c2e18174a&id=0bedeb583c&e=ea41f76822>), and the American Geophysical Union <https://sgdeliberation.us21.list-manage.com/track/click?u=ba16bac68a7e6b81c2e18174a&id=8f246bc97f&e=ea41f76822>. Additional partners and participating institutions from across regions and sectors, including laboratories and universities, will be announced as the effort develops. <https://sgdeliberation.us21.list-manage.com/track/click?u=ba16bac68a7e6b81c2e18174a&id=b6571abee7&e=ea41f76822> *Why It’s Time* Solar geoengineering research is advancing rapidly amid growing concern about unchecked climate warming and its devastating impacts. At the same time, these technologies are facing increasing political scrutiny. Recent controversies around attempted field experiments have already illustrated that research without legitimate governance quickly loses public trust. While there is broad agreement that solar geoengineering research must meet clear standards for transparency, public engagement, scientific merit, and accountability, what has been missing is a common way to put those expectations into practice consistently across institutions and borders. At a moment when formal multilateral pathways remain uncertain and geopolitical trust is strained, *SGRG offers a shared, voluntary framework that institutions can use to make governance practices visible and comparable across borders*. Rather than authorizing or prohibiting research, the Platform focuses on making responsible governance easier to implement and easier to demonstrate. *What The Platform Is* Following its launch and once the full set of nodal partners is assembled, SGRG will co-develop a shared set of tools and norms, including: - A living Research Governance Charter - A public transparency and disclosure system - Engagement guidance and oversight - Independent scientific merit review options - Accountability frameworks - A research question database These tools are designed to apply proportionally across modeling, laboratory studies, and outdoor experiments, recognizing that governance needs differ by context while core principles remain constant. The Platform is designed to support global legitimacy from the outset. Regional nodes will shape how governance is applied in different contexts, with Global South institutions playing leadership roles. Funding sources and governance processes will be publicly disclosed, and core tools will be openly licensed and non-exclusive to prevent private control. *Voices Of Our Partners* “Guided by global voices across research and practice, AGU created the Ethical Framework for Climate Intervention Research. Now, we are excited to be a founding Nodal partner for SGRG to promote inclusive and transparent SRM research practices,” said *Janice R. Lachance, AGU Executive Director and CEO*. As shared norms take shape, institutions that align with SGRG practices will be able to show how governance expectations are being met, access outside expert review where gaps exist, and draw on shared engagement guidance. <https://sgdeliberation.us21.list-manage.com/track/click?u=ba16bac68a7e6b81c2e18174a&id=af281cfc91&e=ea41f76822>The UK Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA) <https://sgdeliberation.us21.list-manage.com/track/click?u=ba16bac68a7e6b81c2e18174a&id=d4a0939646&e=ea41f76822>, currently the largest public funder of SRM research through their Exploring Climate Cooling research programme, is committed to working collaboratively with SGRG to share their learnings from research governance implementation thus far. The Exploring Climate Cooling programme team sees mutual benefit from cooperation with SGRG and will work towards ARIA being the first institutional adopter of future SGRG principles and practices. “Solar geoengineering research activity is increasing, but the governance infrastructure has not kept pace,” said <https://sgdeliberation.us21.list-manage.com/track/click?u=ba16bac68a7e6b81c2e18174a&id=a4c1359d4c&e=ea41f76822>*Richie Kaur* <https://sgdeliberation.us21.list-manage.com/track/click?u=ba16bac68a7e6b81c2e18174a&id=2a7e800225&e=ea41f76822>*, Senior Advocate at NRDC*. “This effort is about closing that gap and making sure the research prioritizes public interests, not private profits.” *Dr. Arunabha Ghosh, CEEW CEO*, shared that “the SGRG could ensure that governance grows alongside the science, building transparency, accountability, and collaboration from the beginning.” “Good governance does not slow research; it makes knowledge credible, inclusive, and useful for countries most vulnerable to climate impacts.” *What’s Next?* This announcement marks the beginning of a co-development phase. In the coming weeks, partners will finalize initial governance components and confirm additional nodal partners. An in-person convening planned for Summer 2026 will bring partners and experts together to co-draft the Research Governance Charter and agree on early implementation pathways. The official launch of the SGRG Platform, including initial tools and governance structures, is planned for July 2026. Interested in learning more? Contact us for more information. Email SGRG <https://sgdeliberation.us21.list-manage.com/track/click?u=ba16bac68a7e6b81c2e18174a&id=52d4835ab3&e=ea41f76822> [image: Logo] <https://sgdeliberation.us21.list-manage.com/track/click?u=ba16bac68a7e6b81c2e18174a&id=0070a1f1ce&e=ea41f76822> *Copyright (C) 2024 DSG. All rights reserved.* -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "geoengineering" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/geoengineering/CAHJsh9_SRqg5SXUsgRJ8okGdd5pOZbX-eXZ80fPOuahnvEBH-g%40mail.gmail.com.
