International responses to increases in atmospheric CO₂ concentrations, global average temperature, and sea level will critically affect the future of climate change. Recent U.S. National Academies reports (U.S. National Academies, 2015) emphasize the importance of considering measures to increase reflection of sunlight as comparatively inexpensive but controversial supplements to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and possibly also removing already emitted CO₂ from the atmosphere.

This Focal Point project seeks to reveal insight regarding 1) the likelihood of implementing solar radiation management (SRM) measures that increase reflection of incident sunlight, 2) the unknown consequences of SRM measures, and 3) regional concerns, international negotiations, and ethical norms around SRM technology. To gain this insight, the project proposes an innovative, interdisciplinary model that combines live-action climate negotiation simulations, climate modeling, and a speaker series to more effectively study and teach the results of climate policies.

Administered through the Program in Arms Control & Domestic and International Security, our Climate Action Policies and International Policy Negotiations Focal Point is funded by the UIUC Graduate College’s Focal Point initiative, which is designed to stimulate new interdisciplinary research through collaborations among faculty and graduate students from multiple fields.

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-Dr. Cliff Singer (Department of Nuclear, Plasma, and Radiological Engineering), Dr. Ryan Sriver (Department of Atmospheric Sciences), Hui Li (Department of Atmospheric Sciences), Lula Chen (Department of Political Science)