Reductions in aerosol emissions may have exacerbated global warming
DOI: 10.1063/PT.5.029687
Ars Technica : Toward the end of the 20th century, most developed countries were taking steps to reduce their aerosol emissions. Although intended to protect the environment, the action may have actually caused more harm than good when it comes to climate change, according to a study published in Nature Geoscience. The researchers looked at greenhouse gas concentrations and temperatures recorded for the years 1964 to 2010. They then projected what temperatures would have been if emissions had remained at 1964 levels. They found that aerosols’ cooling effects masked about one-third of the continental warming caused by greenhouse gas. Moreover, warming in the Arctic, which has been more accelerated than elsewhere on the planet, has been associated with sulfate aerosol reductions in Europe since 1980.