A Global South Strategy Roundtable on Near-Term Climate Risk

CLIMATE POLICY 2.0: A Global South Strategy Roundtable on Near-Term Climate Risk A focused NYC strategy session to develop a country-first pathway toward a broader COP31 dialogue DATE: Thursday, September 24, 2026 TIMEL 2:00–4:30 p.m. (1.5 hr. session + 1 hr. Wine, Cheese, Networking) Background: the near-term climate-policy gap Climate Policy 2.0 begins with a simple premise: reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, adaptation and carbon removal remain essential for long-term climate stabilization, but current policy does not adequately address the near-term temperature and climate-risk gap. Countries, especially those most exposed to climate disruption, need the capacity to assess climate-cooling approaches, including Sunlight Reflection Methods (SRM) and eco-system restoration, and to participate meaningfully in the governance, research and decision-making. Climate Policy 2.0 is therefore larger than simply “adding SRM”; it connects long-term stabilization with a credible strategy for managing near-term risk. The roundtable will not presume endorsement of SRM or any deployment pathway. CENTRAL QUESTION:  How can Global South countries develop their own informed positions on near-term climate risk and climate cooling, and then work together to manage those risks responsibly? Strategic theory: country first, coalition second At the international level, government representatives generally operate within positions already established by their ministries. Bringing countries together before those positions have been examined is unlikely to create genuine movement on climate-intervention policy. The more credible sequence is to build national understanding, enable a nationally owned policy dialogue, support an informed national position, and only then bring countries together to shape Global South cooperation and international governance. India Climate Cooling Summit: the first case study HCI convened scientists, policymakers, civil-society leaders and other stakeholders in India to examine the gap between long-term decarbonization and escalating near-term climate risks. The Summit showed the value of a country-level conversation: clarifying the science, surfacing concerns and identifying what policymakers need before considering a national position. The NYC roundtable will examine what HCI learned and how similar nationally owned dialogues might be catalyzed elsewhere, making the India Summit a prototype for broader Global South engagement. National understanding  →  national policy dialogue  →  national position  →  Global South cooperation  →  international governance Purpose and participants The 2.5-hour program includes a 1.5-hour focused working session followed by one hour of wine, cheese and networking. The working session will bring together a small group of experts in climate and SRM science, governance, policy, diplomacy, civil society, philanthropy and organizations working with Global South partners. Many may be U.S.-based; the meeting will not claim to represent Global South countries. It will test the strategy and help prepare a broader, more representative dialogue at COP31. What we hope to learn Candid feedback on the Climate Policy 2.0 framing and the country-first approach. Questions, relationships and potential partners for further exploration. Preliminary guidance for planning a broader, more representative COP31 dialogue