In 2023, the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP) announced the establishment of a new Lighthouse Activity focused on Research on Climate Intervention. WCRP’s Lighthouse Activities are designed as ambitious, trans-disciplinary research initiatives aimed at advancing the science and institutional frameworks required to manage climate risk effectively. These efforts are intended to meet society’s urgent demand for robust, actionable, and equitable climate information.
Climate interventions encompass the deliberate, large-scale manipulation of the Earth’s environment to counteract the impacts of anthropogenic climate change. They primarily include two key approaches: large-scale marine and terrestrial carbon dioxide removal (CDR) measures, and solar radiation modification (SRM). The Research on Climate Intervention Lighthouse Activity seeks to evaluate these approaches, their associated Earth system risks and opportunities, remaining uncertainties, and research gaps.
In this townhall, members of the Lighthouse Activities Scientific Steering Committee aim to engage with the EGU community to clarify the goals of this new initiative and seek feedback on its objectives. The session will provide an opportunity to discuss concrete plans such as a comprehensive stocktake of ongoing research activities, the creation of an overview of expected risks and opportunities, and the development of best practices for SRM and CDR research and experimentation.
We will bring three specific discussion points to the audience:
1. Why should solar radiation modification and carbon dioxide removal be considered together in the Lighthouse Activity on Climate Intervention?
2. What are the most pressing issues that you see for climate intervention research today? Which information do we need to provide for the upcoming IPCC assessment report?
3. How can we ensure a globally inclusive and responsible landscape for climate intervention research?
The valuable feedback gathered from this session will directly inform and shape the future priorities, strategies, and actions of the Research on Climate Intervention Lighthouse Activity, ensuring it remains aligned with both scientific and societal needs.