A recent study published in Communications Earth & Environment highlights that cleaner air in East Asia, especially due to reductions in aerosol pollution, has contributed to a faster warming of the planet over the last 15 years.

Lead author Bjørn H. Samset explains that the cleanup of aerosols in East Asia has likely driven much of the recent acceleration in global warming and influenced warming trends in the Pacific region.

While global warming, primarily caused by greenhouse gases, has been increasing over the past decade and a half, the reduction of aerosols has unmasked additional warming effects.

The study, which used 160 computer simulations from eight climate models, estimates that the decrease in sulfate aerosols since 2010 has added approximately 0.07°C to global warming, with a notable increase of about 0.05°C per decade since then.

This reduction in aerosols, especially in China where sulfur dioxide emissions have decreased by about 75% since 2010, has not only improved air quality but also removed a cooling effect that previously masked some of the greenhouse gas-driven warming.

The removal of aerosols has led to more extreme heat events, altered monsoon patterns, and potential disruptions to agriculture in East Asia, with broader impacts on global climate patterns.

Despite the short-lived nature of aerosols in the atmosphere, their removal has caused a temporary spike in warming, which is expected to stabilize as air pollution levels plateau.

While aerosol reduction has unmasked additional warming, scientists emphasize that greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane remain the primary long-term drivers of climate change.

As other regions such as South Asia and North America begin phasing out aerosol emissions, researchers plan to evaluate how these changes will influence future climate trends.

Some scientists suggest geoengineering techniques, like aerosol injection into the stratosphere, could mimic cooling effects, but they caution about the potential risks involved.

The study underscores that although air pollution cleanup benefits public health, it also accelerates climate warming by removing aerosols that previously provided a cooling shading effect.

Overall, the findings reinforce the importance of reducing greenhouse gases to address long-term climate change, even as efforts to improve air quality continue.