A process for selectively removing and recovering sulfur dioxide from a sulfur dioxide-containing effluent gas, the process comprising: contacting the effluent gas and oxygen with a buffered aqueous absorption solution comprising a salt of a polyprotic carboxylic acid and an oxidation inhibitor selected from the group consisting of ascorbic acid, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, p-phenylenediamine, hydroquinone and mixtures thereof in a sulfur dioxide absorber, thereby absorbing sulfur dioxide from the effluent gas into the absorption solution and producing an exhaust gas from which sulfur dioxide has been removed and a sulfur dioxide-enriched absorption solution; heating the sulfur dioxide-enriched absorption solution in a sulfur dioxide stripper to desorb sulfur dioxide and thereby produce a regenerated sulfur dioxide absorption solution and a sulfur dioxide-enriched stripper gas; and reintroducing the regenerated sulfur dioxide absorption solution to the sulfur dioxide absorber; wherein immediately following the step of heating the sulfur dioxide-enriched absorption solution in the sulfur dioxide stripper producing a regenerated sulfur dioxide absorption solution and a sulfur dioxide-enriched stripper gas comprising water vapor and before reintroducing the regenerated sulfur dioxide absorption solution to the sulfur dioxide absorber, the process further comprises: increasing the pressure of the sulfur dioxide-enriched stripper gas; cooling the pressurized sulfur dioxide-enriched stripper gas by transfer of heat to the regenerated sulfur dioxide absorption solution in a reboiler of the sulfur dioxide stripper to condense water vapor and produce a reboiler gas effluent comprising sulfur dioxide and water vapor and an aqueous condensate comprising sulfur dioxide; heating the aqueous condensate from the reboiler in a condensate stripper to desorb sulfur dioxide and produce a condensate stripper gas comprising water vapor and sulfur dioxide desorbed from the aqueous condensate; and cooling the condensate stripper gas and reboiler gas effluent in a low temperature condenser to condense water vapor and produce a recovered sulfur dioxide stream comprising sulfur dioxide obtained in the aqueous condensate and in the reboiler gas effluent and a stripped condensate effluent depleted in sulfur dioxide. contacting the effluent gas and oxygen with a buffered aqueous absorption solution comprising a salt of a polyprotic carboxylic acid and an oxidation inhibitor selected from the group consisting of ascorbic acid, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, p-phenylenediamine, hydroquinone and mixtures thereof in a sulfur dioxide absorber, thereby absorbing sulfur dioxide from the effluent gas into the absorption solution and producing an exhaust gas from which sulfur dioxide has been removed and a sulfur dioxide-enriched absorption solution; heating the sulfur dioxide-enriched absorption solution in a sulfur dioxide stripper to desorb sulfur dioxide and thereby produce a regenerated sulfur dioxide absorption solution and a sulfur dioxide-enriched stripper gas; and reintroducing the regenerated sulfur dioxide absorption solution to the sulfur dioxide absorber; wherein immediately following the step of heating the sulfur dioxide-enriched absorption solution in the sulfur dioxide stripper producing a regenerated sulfur dioxide absorption solution and a sulfur dioxide-enriched stripper gas comprising water vapor and before reintroducing the regenerated sulfur dioxide absorption solution to the sulfur dioxide absorber, the process further comprises: increasing the pressure of the sulfur dioxide-enriched stripper gas; cooling the pressurized sulfur dioxide-enriched stripper gas by transfer of heat to the regenerated sulfur dioxide absorption solution in a reboiler of the sulfur dioxide stripper to condense water vapor and produce a reboiler gas effluent comprising sulfur dioxide and water vapor and an aqueous condensate comprising sulfur dioxide; heating the aqueous condensate from the reboiler in a condensate stripper to desorb sulfur dioxide and produce a condensate stripper gas comprising water vapor and sulfur dioxide desorbed from the aqueous condensate; and cooling the condensate stripper gas and reboiler gas effluent in a low temperature condenser to condense water vapor and produce a recovered sulfur dioxide stream comprising sulfur dioxide obtained in the aqueous condensate and in the reboiler gas effluent and a stripped condensate effluent depleted in sulfur dioxide. increasing the pressure of the sulfur dioxide-enriched stripper gas; cooling the pressurized sulfur dioxide-enriched stripper gas by transfer of heat to the regenerated sulfur dioxide absorption solution in a reboiler of the sulfur dioxide stripper to condense water vapor and produce a reboiler gas effluent comprising sulfur dioxide and water vapor and an aqueous condensate comprising sulfur dioxide; heating the aqueous condensate from the reboiler in a condensate stripper to desorb sulfur dioxide and produce a condensate stripper gas comprising water vapor and sulfur dioxide desorbed from the aqueous condensate; and cooling the condensate stripper gas and reboiler gas effluent in a low temperature condenser to condense water vapor and produce a recovered sulfur dioxide stream comprising sulfur dioxide obtained in the aqueous condensate and in the reboiler gas effluent and a stripped condensate effluent depleted in sulfur dioxide.