Africa’s climate future may be shaped as much by decisions made beyond its borders as by those taken within the continent itself. In a new Nature Climate Change Comment, African researchers argue that when it comes to climate interventions like Solar Radiation Modification (SRM), Africa must not remain a bystander. Instead, it should move from passive recipient to active leader in research, governance, and public dialogue surrounding the controversial approach. The article, co-authored by Kwesi A. Quagraine, Babatunde J. Abiodun, and Samuel Essien-Baidoo, warns that excluding African voices from global discussions could have serious consequences.
“The future of SRM in Africa must be decided through African leadership, scrutiny, and governance,” the authors write. “Any research or deployment must respect African priorities and sovereignty.”
SRM is a set of proposed interventions that aim to slow warming and lessen climate change impacts while longer-term emission cuts and adaptation are ongoing. It raises serious concerns for many scientists. Beyond potentially shifting critical monsoon rains in Africa and Asia that billions depend on, the technology may weaken the global commitment needed to cut carbon emissions and slow ocean acidification. Yet, the authors note, most of the funding, modeling, and policy work on SRM remains concentrated in the Global North.
While SRM remains uncertain and deeply contested, African scientists caution that inaction carries its own risks. If other nations proceed with experiments or policy frameworks without African input, the continent could be left responding to the side effects of technologies it had no role in shaping.
To avoid this, the authors call for three immediate steps: (1) establishing a regional SRM policy forum under the African Union, (2) developing position statements led by African climate negotiators to inform global governance discussions, and (3) investing in cross-disciplinary research capacity that integrates climate modeling, social sciences, and policy expertise.
Beneath the policy recommendations is a broader message, that climate intervention research must be inclusive, anticipatory, and grounded in justice. As global interest in geoengineering grows, the authors argue, ensuring that Africa’s perspectives inform the conversation is not just equitable; it is essential to understanding the real-world consequences of deliberately altering our planet’s climate systems.
