European Parliament Advocates for Global SRM Research Governance Framework
23 June 2026 | ZEROGeoengineering.com | Geoengineering Policy Matters | The EU Parliamentary briefing below outlines global governance options for solar radiation modification (SRM) research. On one hand, the report calls for “an EU-wide moratorium on the use of SRM and advocates a global SRM governance framework based on a firm stance of non-deployment,” while at the same time, the authors promote global governance of SRM “research.” The typical framing is misleading because geoengineering is a weapon and therefore there is no legitimate distinction between outdoor SRM “research,” and actual SRM use.
“This briefing summarises the state of knowledge about various proposed SRM methods and associated risks, explains their potential role in global climate action, gives an overview of the existing rules for SRM research and development, and outlines options for the future governance of SRM research.”
“SRM has previously been referred to as ‘solar radiation management’, but ‘modification’ is preferred because it is still unclear to what extent it is actually manageable.”
“There is no targeted international law or agreement relating specifically to SRM. However, there are some international agreements that cover aspects of SRM research and deployment.”
“So, the governance of SRM research and development can be both enabling and restrictive. Enabling governance may set out a coherent research programme with funding and regular assessments. Restrictive governance sets strict conditions under which research activities may be carried out.”
“Public participation and transparency are considered necessary to build trust and acceptance for SRM research, especially outdoor experiments. Cancellations of outdoor SRM experiments have shown the critical role of local actors as gatekeepers.”
“In July 2025, all 54 African countries reaffirmed support for a non-use agreement during the African ministerial conference on the environment, stressing that SRM poses ‘significant and uncertain environmental, ethical, and geopolitical risks’.”
“The April 2026 Council conclusions on EU energy and climate diplomacy warned that large-scale climate interventions, in particular SRM, pose significant risks for the climate, the environment, security and geopolitics. It called for full application of the precautionary principle to geoengineering, a close monitoring of initiatives, and a moratorium on the deployment of SRM. The conclusions reiterate that the EU ‘will continue to engage in discussions on potential international governance arrangements, including research related aspects’.”
Link To 2026 Options for the responsible governance of research on solar radiation modification
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