Overview

• University College London simulations suggest that modified Boeing 777Fs could inject sulphur dioxide at 42,000 feet over the poles to achieve significant cooling effects.
• Injecting 12 million tonnes of sulphur dioxide annually during spring and summer could lower global temperatures by approximately 0.6°C, akin to the cooling effect of the 1991 Mount Pinatubo eruption.
• Lower-altitude injections at polar latitudes are less efficient, requiring three times more sulphur dioxide and increasing risks such as acid rain and ozone layer impacts.
• Researchers emphasize that geoengineering is not a substitute for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and achieving net zero remains essential for long-term climate stability.
• The UK’s ARIA is expected to announce controlled experiments to test the feasibility and risks of geoengineering techniques in the coming weeks.