Articles | Volume 17, issue 2
https://doi.org/10.5194/esd-17-387-2026
https://doi.org/10.5194/esd-17-387-2026
Research article
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22 Apr 2026
Research article | Highlight paper |  | 22 Apr 2026

Stratospheric aerosol injection geoengineering has the potential to increase land carbon storage and to protect the Amazon rainforest

Isobel M. Parry, Paul D. L. Ritchie, Olivier Boucher, Peter M. Cox, James M. Haywood, Ulrike Niemeier, Roland Séférian, Simone Tilmes, and Daniele Visioni

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Editorial statement
This paper deals with the effects of solar geoengineering that aims to mitigate climate change by the injection of aerosols in the stratosphere. It uses climate model simulations to show that there could be an additional benefit in doing so as the models indicate an enhanced productivity of the biosphere, and thus a greater carbon sink. This is a significant insight that could stimulate more debate and analyses with regard to the pros and cons of geoengineering.
Short summary
Contrary to some expectations, results from the latest Earth System Models suggest that Solar Radiation Geoengineering could protect the Amazon rainforest from climate-driven dieback. Under Stratospheric Aerosol Injection, carbon storage in Amazonia was projected to increase by a mean of 10.8 % relative to a high CO2 emissions scenario, and even by 8.6% compared to a more conventional medium CO2 emissions scenario.
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