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Africa’s Climate Response to Solar Radiation Management With Stratospheric Aerosol

Modelling
South Africa | Lennard
Extreme weather, Precipitation, Temperature

Abstract

Anthropogenic warming is projected to increase the magnitude and frequency of extreme events, whose impacts are already being felt in vulnerable regions in sub-Saharan Africa. Solar radiation management (SRM) has been proposed as an interim measure to offset warming while emissions are reduced; however, the impact of stratospheric SRM on regional climate extremes have not yet been explored, particularly in the Paris agreement context. We investigate the potential impact of SRM on temperature and rainfall means and extremes over sub-Saharan Africa using simulations from the Geoengineering Large Ensemble. We found SRM significantly reduces temperature means and extremes; however, the effect on precipitation is not as linear. The results should be interpreted with caution as they are particular to this approach of SRM and this modelling experiment.

Publication data

Journal: Geophysical Research Letters
Date: 15 January 2020
DOI: 10.1029/2019GL086047

Authors

Izidine Pinto

University of Cape Town

Chris Lennard

University of Cape Town

Romaric Odoulami

University of Cape Town

Simone Tilmes

National Center for Atmospheric Research

Christopher Jack

University of Cape Town

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