Modelling teams across the Global South first funded in 2023 have received extensions to their grants.
The Degrees Initiative provides grants to research teams in developing countries who want to model how the physical impacts of solar radiation modification (SRM) could affect their local climate, ecosystems and economy. Teams that began their projects in 2023 have started publishing their research. They have been responsible for the first-ever SRM modelling studies to come out of Brazil, Chile, Malaysia, Pakistan and Thailand, exploring topics ranging from glacier loss in the Andes to the response of cyclones to SRM in the Southern Hemisphere. Ten teams, across Asia, Africa and South America, have now received extensions to their grants, providing them with two more years of funding. They are:
Brazil 2023
Principal investigator
Professor Michelle Simões Reboita
Host institution
Brazil Instituto de Recursos Naturais, Universidade Federal de Itajubá
The Brazil 2023 team study the response of cyclones to SRM in the Southern Hemisphere. Their first paper found that SRM could influence the frequency, intensity, and spatial patterns of cyclones, concluding that extratropical cyclones would be less affected by climate change if SRM were used. They will now further study the impact of different SRM strategies on atmospheric systems in the South Atlantic Ocean.
Malaysia 2023
Principal investigator
Professor Mou Leong Tan
Host institution
Universiti Sains Malaysia
The Malaysia 2023 team have investigated how the deployment of SRM might affect trends of extreme weather in the Muda River Basin. They have published two papers. The first reviewed global studies on the impact of SRM on hydrological cycle changes. The second focused on the Muda River Basin, finding that SRM could reduce variation in precipitation, but one type could worsen dry spells in the long term. They will now expand their research to the whole of Southeast Asia.
Cameroon 2023
Principal investigator
Dr Thierry C. Fotso-Nguemo
Host institution
The National Institute of Cartography (NIC)
The Cameroon 2023 team previously evaluated how SRM might alter the effects of climate change on the hydro-climatology of major Central African river basins, including knock-on impacts on irrigation and the filling of dams. Their first paper found that SRM could reduce some water deficits compared to worst-case climate change scenarios. They will now expand their research to study the impact of SRM on extreme precipitation and heat across Africa.
Chile 2023
Principal investigator
Professor Alfonso Fernández
Host institution
Universidad de Concepción The Chile 2023 team investigate how SRM might impact the retreat of glaciers in the Andes, one of the most climate-vulnerable mountain environments on Earth. Their first paper showed that SRM could reduce glacier shrinkage and variability in glacier change compared to the worst-case climate scenario, but that there was a lot of uncertainty for tropical glaciers. They will continue this research, including characterising key Andean climate factors.
India 2023
Principal investigator
Professor Govindasamy Bala
Host institution
Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru
The India 2023 team evaluate the effect of SRM on summer monsoon rainfall in India. They have published two papers so far: one that explored differences in the height of sulphate aerosol deployment on global temperatures and precipitation, and another that compared the effect on monsoon rains of different sulphate deployment regimes. They will expand their research to explore broader circulation changes in six tropical monsoon regions.
Thailand 2023
Principal investigator
Dr Pornampai (Ping-Ping) Narenpitak
Host institution
National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA)
The Thailand 2023 team have been comparing temperature and precipitation changes in the country under a range of SRM and climate change scenarios. They also assess seasonal variability as well as sea level, which are closely tied to coastal erosion and saltwater intrusion. Their first paper showed that the impact of SRM on precipitation in Mainland Southeast Asia and adjacent oceans would vary depending on if the SRM is through solar dimming or stratospheric aerosol injection. The team will be shifting their focus to assess the potential impact of marine cloud brightening.
South Africa 2023
Principal investigator
Professor Babatunde Abiodun
Host institution
University of Cape Town
The South Africa 2023 team examine how SRM might affect the future of rangeland and livestock production across Africa, to assess whether it could be used to reduce the risks posed by global warming to food security. They will expand this to include the impact of SRM on African coastal marine ecosystems, while building an African coalition of SRM researchers.
Benin 2023
Principal investigator
Dr Frédéric K. Bonou
Host institution
Institut de Recherches Halieutiques et Océanologiques du Bénin (IRHOB)
The Benin 2023 team research how SRM might reduce (or not) the impacts of climate change on chlorophyll, plankton, and nutrient cycles along the coastal countries in the Gulf of Guinea, as well as impacts on the regional sea level. Their first paper is currently under review, while they extend their work to include impacts on sea-surface carbon dioxide and ocean acidification.
Pakistan 2023
Principal investigator
Professor Athar Hussain
Host institution
COMSATS University Islamabad
The Pakistan 2023 team research how SRM could affect the impacts of climate change on malaria in South Asia. Their first paper modelled changes in temperature and precipitation over Southeast Asia with stratospheric aerosol injection, to determine the kinds of climate conditions disease vectors like mosquitos could operate in. They will next model these impacts with marine cloud brightening.
Ghana 2023
Principal investigator
Professor Nana Ama Browne Klutse
Host institution
University of Ghana / African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS)
The Ghana 2023 team study how the use of SRM could affect regional temperature, humidity and rainfall as they pertain to southern West Africa’s Harmatten windy season. Their first paper is pending publication. In the next phase, they seek to understand the influence of dust concentration on West African climate.
