The Role of Analogies in Shaping Public and Policymaker Perceptions of Stratospheric Aerosol Injection (SAI)

Stratospheric Aerosol Injection (SAI) is a proposed climate intervention that would involve releasing reflective particles into the upper atmosphere to reduce the amount of sunlight reaching the Earth’s surface. Although SAI could potentially lower global temperatures, it also raises important scientific, ethical, and governance questions. Because SAI is unfamiliar and complex, analogies—such as comparing SAI to sunscreen or a volcano—can be helpful in explaining it. Such analogies, however, can also shape how people interpret the risks, benefits, and acceptability of the technology.

This project examines how different analogies influence perceptions of SAI among the public and policymakers. The research begins with a structured survey of climate and geoengineering scientists, who will evaluate a set of proposed analogies for their accuracy, usefulness, and potential to mislead. Based on their responses, the research team will select a subset of analogies to test in survey experiments with two additional groups: members of the general public and individuals involved in policy decision-making. By analyzing how each audience responds to different analogies, the project aims to identify communication strategies that support clearer, more informed engagement with SAI—while also illuminating where scientists, policymakers, and the public align or diverge in their views.