This deliverable identifies five hypothetical case Studies spanning the leading SRM proposals, different jurisdictions and corresponding legal regimes, and the boundary between SRM and activities that share characteristics with SRM. These Case Studies are not proposals for actual experiments but are intended to raise key questions and examine the scientific, technical, ethical, social, and regulatory considerations relevant to SRM research governance. The foremost SRM techniques of Stratospheric Aerosol Injection, Marine Cloud Brightening, and Cirrus Cloud Thinning are considered, alongside the more localised technique of Sea Ice Thickening. For each of these case studies, a scoping note outlines potential activities as well as the scientific, legal, ethical, participatory, governance and other dimensions they raise. These will help structure later deliberations and analyses and ensure their practical relevance and breadth of scope.
The five Case Studies are:
- Case Study 1: Smaller-scale stratospheric aerosol injection (SAI) experiment – Seychelles
- Case Study 2: Later-phase sea ice thickening (SIT) experiment – Arctic Canada
- Case Study 3: Smaller-scale cirrus cloud thinning (CCT) experiment – Arctic Norway
- Case Study 4: Larger-scale marine cloud brightening (MCB) experiment – Offshore West Africa
- Case Study 5: Larger-scale stratospheric aerosol injection (SAI) experiment – Arctic Finland