Just published: SCoPEx AC October 2022 Update. Find information about the AC's recent work including guidelines for local engagement and the status of the scientific merit review:

Measurements would be taken of the changes in aerosol density, atmospheric chemistry, and light scattering properties

The proposed experiment would launch a balloon 20km into the atmosphere. The balloon payload would release a very small amount of material (100g-2kg) of a common mineral dust, likely calcium carbonate, and fly through the resulting plume to measure changes in the air.

SCoPEx is a proposed scientific experiment to better understand stratospheric aerosols that could be relevant to solar geoengineering. The project aims to improve simulations for computer models of solar geoengineering.

The Research Team (RT) has agreed in the AC terms of reference to not initiate field experiments until they have responded to the Advisory Committee’s questions and recommendations in its initial report.

AC members were selected for their expertise in non-governmental research governance and/or climate justice, experience designing inclusive societal engagement in climate sciences, and knowledge of climate change response strategies

The AC has no predetermined outcome in mind for this project. Rather, we are committed to ensuring that this experiment demonstrates core principles of transparency, legitimacy, and technical soundness.

AC work will evaluate and guide this experiment and serve as a model for other geoengineering research. We also hope that this work will provide a foundation and test-case for broadening participation in research and making decisions about solar geoengineering experiments.

The creation of the Advisory Committee presents an opportunity to pilot comprehensive and inclusive approaches to research governance that are commensurate with the myriad, interconnected, and complex challenges presented by geoengineering research.

The AC embraces the following values to support their mission: integrity and impartiality, expert and evidence-based assessment, transparency, advancement of science, engagement, collaboration, and social responsibility.

The AC held a virtual panel discussion on December 15th, 2021 at the American Geophysical Union’s (AGU) Fall Meeting. We have shared on our Societal Review Page a preview video for the event and a summary of the conversation.

Most recently, the AC met for a 2-day hybrid retreat at Harvard University and virtually. We continued to develop plans for a global and local engagement process. In the coming months you can expect more information about this plan including a global public feedback opportunity.

Learn More on our engagement page:

Given the broad societal implications of solar geoengineering research, the AC is committed to embedding principles of engagement, collaboration, and social responsibility into its own work and in our recommendations to the Research Team and Harvard University.

The AC will review the legal, financial, safety, scientific merit, and societal engagement aspects of SCoPEx to make a recommendation to Harvard on whether or not the project should proceed, and if so, under what conditions. Learn more on our website:

Our mission is to provide advice on the research and governance of SCoPEx, operating independently from the Research Team to ensure that the SCoPEx project is undertaken in a transparent, responsible, and legitimate manner.

Visit our Advisory Committee Members page to learn more about the group of leaders advising this project.

Thank you for following the SCoPEX Advisory Committee (AC) Twitter page. We will use this platform to share announcements on the AC’s work. Read our most recent update on our website