African researchers emphasised the importance of capacity building, and participants explored the complexities of SRM pathways at a joint Degrees-Reflective workshop in Kenya.
On 16 June 2025, on the margins of the TED Countdown Summit in Nairobi, Kenya, the Degrees Initiative and Reflective co-hosted a workshop titled “Shaping SRM Research for a Shared Future”. The event brought together scientists, policymakers, funders and members of the wider climate community to emphasise the importance of building solar radiation modification (SRM) research capacity in Africa. It also aimed to highlight the global governance challenges and technical complexities of SRM through an interactive tabletop game using Reflective’s online simulator.
Sixteen people took part in the session held at the Trademark Suites Hotel. Degrees’ Policy Engagement Manager Anita Nzeh opened the event with a warm welcome and a short introduction to our mission and work. Reflective’s CEO Dakota Gruener then similarly introduced Reflective and delivered an “SRM 101” to bring those unfamiliar with the subject up to speed.
A keynote TED-style talk by Degrees-funded researcher Professor Babatunde Abiodun, from the University of Cape Town, was one of the day’s standout moments. Drawing from his personal experience, he spoke passionately about why African scientists need to be involved in SRM research, why Africa is interested in the topic, and how essential it is for Africa to not only build a strong, homegrown voice on SRM but to lead the world in understanding and governing it.
Participants then dove into a tabletop simulator game that explored regional SRM scenarios across Africa, Europe, North America, and Antarctica. Each team worked through the trade-offs, challenges, and potential outcomes to design scenarios they believed were best for their region. But when it came time to convince other regions of the value of their scenarios, tensions quickly emerged: scenarios that looked favourable for North America or Antarctica often had severe downsides for Africa, particularly in terms of rainfall. The session powerfully underscored the complexity and interconnectedness of SRM’s potential impacts, and reinforced the urgent need for globally inclusive research and governance.
To close the session, Degrees-funded researcher Dr Romaric Odoulami, from the University of Cape Town, shared his personal journey from starry-eyed PhD student to one of Africa’s leading SRM researchers. His story offered an inspiring example of what capacity building can achieve when done in the right way. Dr Franklin Opijah from the University of Nairobi, who is also funded by Degrees, then provided closing remarks, speaking about the realities of climate risks in Kenya and the urgent need for more research on SRM’s possible role in reducing that risk.
The workshop was a valuable opportunity to showcase the perspectives and experiences of African scientists working on SRM and to explore SRM’s scientific and governance challenges in an interactive format. The session underlined the need for further research into the physical and political dimensions of SRM, particularly in the Global South.
