Mount Pinatubo’s eruption in 1991, the biggest of the twentieth century, blew 30 million tons of sulphates into the atmosphere to altitudes of up to 15.5 miles (25 km). These formed a veil of aerosols that temporarily lowered the amount of solar radiation received by the planet, from 200 watts to 196 watts per square meter. The result during 1992 and 1993 was a global fall in ground temperatures of several tenths of a degree. The consequences of two other violent eruptions—Mount Agung, Indonesia, in 1963 and El Chichón, Mexico, in 1982—has already been noted. However, the atmospheric and climatic effects of such events are temporary and should not divert attention from the global warming induced by human activity, especially deforestation and growing consumption of fossil fuels. The latter has increased fourfold over the last 50 years, while the world’s population has only doubled.

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