Executive Summary

Sulfate aerosol injection is a geoengineering scheme that has been put forward in order to combat the rise in surface temperature of the Earth due to the build up of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The build up of aerosols in the atmosphere reflects sunlight away from the Earth, as shown by large volcanic eruptions such as those of Mount Pinatubo and El Chichón. Both these eruptions caused a significant decrease in regional surface temperatures for several years following the eruptions; an injection of sulfate aerosols is expected to do the same. There are potential side effects of the scheme, however, such as regional precipitation changes, ozone depletion and acid rain.