Using twentieth-century U.S. weather modification policy to gain insight into global climate remediation governance issues

Solar radiation management (SRM), due to its relatively low financial cost and the potential for near-term reduction in average global temperature, is gaining particular attention despite the risks of its use, both identified and unanticipated.

This paper considers the structure--the participants, positions, actions, outcomes, information, and positive and negative payoffs--of U.S. weather modification research and governance developed between 1947 and 1980, offering a case study that may be useful in thinking through how to move forward with SRM development and governance should a decision be made to contemplate augmenting mitigation and adaptation with geoengineering.