Sunlight reflection methods (SRM)—also known as solar radiation modification, or solar geoengineering—are a set of proposed techniques to reflect a portion of the sun’s energy back into space to cool the planet. As researchers, governments, and communities seek ways to mitigate the impacts of climate change, SRM has become a topic of increasing interest. Yet despite decades of research, public discourse around SRM is often clouded by misinformation, uncertainty, and confusion.
Enter SRM360, a nonprofit initiative co-founded by Peter Irvine, research assistant professor at the University of Chicago’s Climate Systems Engineering initiative (CSEi). Alongside Irvine, SRM360 draws on the expertise of the SRM research community, including CSEi Founding Faculty Director David Keith.
Through accessible guides, explainer articles, videos, and other resources, SRM360 synthesizes the scientific literature and makes information on SRM understandable to a broader audience. While it has been softly operating for several months, SRM360 officially launches on May 14, 2025.
The official launch highlights several expanded offerings aimed at deepening the dialogue around SRM research, development, and governance:
- Data tools and analysis which provide a detailed picture of SRM funding and field experiments.
- New accessible guides that provide an entry point into the field, bridging the gap between complex research and public understanding.
- An expanded library of infographics, podcasts, and videos of discussions that address the nuances of SRM science and policy developments.
“Nobody has had a good number for how much funding there is in this field, or how much of it was government versus philanthropic,” said Irvine. “This new data will help illuminate who’s paying for what, which can help the media and the public better understand the growing landscape of SRM.”
“We are a catalytic knowledge hub that people can turn to for the latest information on SRM, and content they can share with their broader networks,” adds Mark Turner, co-founder of SRM360 and its director of external relations. “Difficult decisions await on SRM, which will require a broad range of people to get informed and be involved: including journalists, academics, civil society, think tanks and policymakers from around the world. We hope to bring more people into the conversation, to inform discussions and debate.”
SRM360 is not a platform that advocates for or against the deployment of SRM. Instead, it provides multiple perspectives on SRM-related issues. Its mission is to create a space for informed, multi-dimensional discussions on the data, risks, and governance challenges associated with SRM. This entails exploring the uncertainties and gaps in our understanding of SRM while also tackling the myths that often dominate public conversations.
“Clear, accessible information is essential if society is going to make wise choices about SRM,” said Keith, who has spent decades studying the science and governance of climate interventions. “SRM360 is helping bring this conversation out of academic journals and into public view, where it can be debated transparently and responsibly.”
As climate change accelerates and conversations around climate interventions grow, SRM360 offers a way to equip people with the tools they need to understand and engage with the science and landscape of SRM, as well as associated areas of uncertainty.
“Given the threat that climate change poses, we really ought to have a good reason to reject SRM or think of ways to team up as a planet to make it work,” said Irvine. “That means having a clear, shared understanding of the science, ethical implications, and geopolitics.”
SRM360 is supported by the LAD Climate Fund, which advocates for objective research in the science and governance of sunlight reflection methods (SRM), as part of a comprehensive climate strategy that includes emissions mitigation, adaptation, and carbon dioxide removal.