A new study from the UK has concluded that our planet will warm up faster than previously predicted. Ironically, the very advancements in pollution control are exacerbating the situation.
Pollution, particularly smoke and haze, cools the planet by blocking sunlight. However, the significance of this cooling effect has been overlooked.
According to climatologist Nicolas Bellouin from the Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction and Research in Exeter, UK, the cooling effect is two to three times greater than current models estimate for the warming trend of Earth.
The study, published in the journal Nature, utilized improved climate measurement tools compared to previous assessments. Mr. Bellouin stated: “The first study published in 2002 only measured above the oceans. Now, we have measurements over land as well.”
The pollution responsible for this cooling effect is referred to as “aerosols,” which are emissions from the burning of fossil fuels, particularly coal.
With increasingly stringent anti-pollution regulations in the West, as well as in China and other developed economies, there is consequently less aerosol in the atmosphere, making the warming of the Earth more severe due to the greenhouse effect.
This indicates that the rise in temperature over the next century will be at the highest levels estimated by the United Nations. By 2100, temperatures on our planet are projected to increase by 1.4 to 5.8 degrees Celsius, with even higher increases expected in Canada and other Northern European countries.
