Takeaways

• African nations are urging the world to halt the promotion of solar geoengineering due to high environmental and geopolitical risks.
• Leaders at the UN environment talks in Nairobi argue that dimming the sun is no substitute for cutting emissions.
• Africa’s push for a global non-use agreement highlights growing concern about powerful climate technologies without adequate global oversight.

As global climate discussions continue in Nairobi, African nations are stepping forward with a decisive message: Solar geoengineering is too risky to promote, let alone test on vulnerable populations and ecosystems. Although the issue is not on the formal UN agenda, it is dominating conversations on the sidelines, with diplomats urging the world to rethink attempts to cool the planet by reflecting sunlight away from Earth.

African governments argue that becoming a test bed for unproven climate cooling technology is unacceptable. Their concerns are clear. Solar geoengineering does not reduce greenhouse-gas emissions, and its possible side-effects, such as shifting rainfall patterns, could intensify pressure on fragile food systems across the continent. Scientists also warn of the dangerous termination shock that could occur if such interventions were suddenly stopped, leading to rapid temperature spikes.

For these reasons, African nations are championing a global non-use agreement. This proposed pact would prevent public funding, outdoor experiments, patenting, and the official promotion of solar radiation modification technologies. Their position has already influenced international negotiations, forcing the withdrawal of a Swiss-backed resolution on the issue at last year’s UN talks.

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However, momentum behind geoengineering is growing elsewhere. A US–Israeli firm is developing what it calls future “cooling services,” using spraying systems designed to manipulate the global thermostat. Some governments are resisting; Mexico banned solar geoengineering trials in 2023, following an unauthorized experiment by a US startup.

At the same time, major powers are investing heavily in research. The UK became the first prominent government to pour significant funding into SRM (Solar Radiation Modification) through its Advanced Research and Invention Agency. Critics say the program is naïve and poorly governed, warning that small-scale tests cannot prove whether the technology is safe.

Geoengineering also comes with political stakes. Once research programmes begin, they attract funding, build careers, and create vested interests. Analysts point to the United States as an example. The Trump administration has made “American energy dominance” central to its plans, and solar geoengineering could provide a way to manage temperature risks while maintaining fossil fuel dependence. The idea of controlling both energy markets and climate outcomes carries enormous influence.

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Africa’s push for a non-use agreement mirrors past global bans on landmines and chemical weapons, tools considered too dangerous and destabilizing to permit. By calling for limits on SRM, African governments are not weakening climate action; they are strengthening it. Their stance redirects attention to proven solutions: cutting fossil fuels, investing in renewable energy, and supporting adaptation for communities already facing climate impacts.

Africa’s message is clear and the world should listen.

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Source: The Guardian