During the week of 9 October 2017, SRMGI (the Degrees Initiative) held its first Global Forum in Berlin, Germany.
The Global Forum brought together participants from our past engagement workshops around the developing world: Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Ethiopia, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Pakistan, the Philippines and Thailand. The participants were encouraged to discuss the socio-political, ethical, and scientific dimensions of SRM with their colleagues from the Global South, as they worked together to consider what the next steps for SRM research governance should be.
Strengthening North-South connections
The Global Forum was held in conjunction with the Climate Engineering Conference 2017. This is the follow-up to CEC14, the largest conference on climate engineering to date. It drew the world’s leading climate engineering researchers to Berlin, plus interested stakeholders from many disciplines and sectors. The participants of the Global Forum attended CEC17, which allowed them to connect with the SRM research community in order to establish and strengthen North-South connections, dialogue, and mutual learning.
CEC17 was held from 10-12 October at the Umweltforum in Berlin, and the Global Forum was held on Monday 9 and Friday 13 October, book-ending CEC17. This allowed our Global Forum participants a day to get to know each other and begin group activities before the CEC17 opening event during the evening of 9 October.
Looking ahead
After three days of discussion, presentations, and making new connections at CEC17, the Global Forum participants had a final day on Friday 13 October to come back together and discuss next steps for SRM research governance.
