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Alliance for Just Deliberation on Solar Geoengineering




Overview

The Giving Green Fund plans to award a grant to The Alliance for Just Deliberation on Solar Geoengineering (DSG) to build governance capacity and policy engagement, support the creation of civil-society consortia, and facilitate global collaboration on Solar Radiation Management (SRM), particularly in climate-vulnerable regions. DSG is a global nonprofit organization working towards just and inclusive deliberation for research on and the potential use of SRM. 


This grant falls within our philanthropic strategy of solar radiation management (SRM). We recognize the significant uncertainties surrounding SRM and believe its deployment should be considered carefully and inclusively. The complexity and interconnectedness of Earth’s natural systems make it difficult to predict how SRM effects would manifest and to what extent we could mitigate them. Please see Giving Green’s deep dive report on SRM for more information about SRM, including risks and potential co-benefits, recommended sub-strategies, theory of change, funding need, and key uncertainties.


Last updated: October 2024


What is The Alliance for Just Deliberation on Solar Geoengineering (DSG)?

The Alliance for Just Deliberation on Solar Geoengineering (DSG) was established in 2023 with the mission to empower civil society and decision-makers to engage in SRM policy. As climate-vulnerable countries are often sidelined, DSG puts their perspectives at the center of the conversation. DSG actively builds relations and engages with climate-vulnerable communities across North America, Europe, Australia, Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), Pacific Small Island Developing States (PSIDS), South Asia, and Africa. 


DSG does not advocate for or against solar geoengineering deployment but aims to create inclusive and participatory governance for decision-making on research and potential deployment. To achieve this objective, DSG carries out the following activities: 


  • Global Engagement—DSG engages with local stakeholders including civil society, academia, and policymakers to build relationships and networks and lay the groundwork for SRM conversations. 

  • Youth Engagement—DSG believes youth are central to future decision-making around SRM and works to increase youth awareness and participation.

  • Policy—DSG works closely with stakeholders in climate-vulnerable communities on governance processes and encourages engagement in SRM policy. 

  • Research—DSG contributes to the existing literature in social and physical sciences.

  • Communications—DSG engages with journalists to build their capacity and advances nuanced messaging and framing around SRM to foster stakeholder engagement. 


What are we funding at DSG, and how could it help advance inclusive and informed decision-making around the potential deployment of SRM?

We are funding DSG to advance its work on SRM governance structures. DSG’s scope of work is tailored to its strategic approach in a given climate-vulnerable region:


  • In PSIDS, DSG plans to conduct a landscape assessment of climate risks and socio-economic contexts and engage with key stakeholders and existing governance structures in the region. 

  • In Africa, DSG will hold on-the-ground conversations with policymakers and think tanks and create knowledge-building materials based on the stakeholders’ needs. DSG has already completed initial scoping and early outreach in this geography. 

  • In the LAC region, DSG plans to conduct workshops with policymakers and civil society in preparation for the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-7) scheduled for December 2025, where solar geoengineering is expected to be a key topic. These workshops would foster discussions about the LAC region's environmental, social, and economic contexts, ultimately helping to develop informed positions on solar geoengineering.


We believe that DSG’s work in civil society capacity building, public engagement, and international collaboration can lead to more inclusive and participatory decision-making around SRM. Strengthening governance is necessary to enable responsible and transparent research and to mitigate risks associated with SRM. Inclusive and participatory governance frameworks can ensure accountability to climate-vulnerable countries in SRM-related decisions. 


Why do we think DSG will use this funding well?

Given that DSG is a nascent organization, we believe catalytic funding is crucial to supporting its work. DSG has already achieved several early wins demonstrating its potential to be a leading organization in setting up governance frameworks. In its first year alone, DSG has initiated engagements in India, Pakistan, South Africa, Kenya, Latin America, and the Arctic with over 100 civil society organizations and policymakers and has hosted over 12 capacity-building events. DSG has co-led multi-part capacity-building workshops in partnership with the African Climate Foundation attended by more than 180 attendees representing organizations from across 14 African nations. Further, it has participated in over 10 major international events, including UNEA-6, COP28, and GeoMIP, and shared expertise on panels at key platforms including SXSW and the UN Science Summit. DSG's ongoing efforts to expand partnerships and geographies indicate an exciting trajectory for broader impact.


 

Giving Green believes that additional climate donations are likely to be most impactful when directed to our top nonprofits. For a number of reasons, we may choose to recommend grants to other organizations for work that we believe is at least as impactful as grants to our top recommendations. We are highlighting this grant to offer transparency to donors to the Giving Green Fund as well as to provide a resource for donors who are particularly interested in this impact strategy. This is a nonpartisan analysis (study or research) and is provided for educational purposes.


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