The reduction of smog particles in China, while beneficial for public health, has contributed to extreme ocean warming events known as "The Blob."
Aerosol emissions, which shield the planet from solar radiation, are declining globally, leading to unexpected climate impacts, including more intense regional heatwaves.
The cleanup of air pollution in China has altered atmospheric patterns, intensifying warming in the Pacific and potentially leading to larger climatic disruptions.
Key quote:
“Without the cooling effect of the aerosols, the world would already have reached the 1.5- degree temperature threshold of ‘dangerous’ climate change as set out by the Paris agreement.”
— Johannes Quaas, meteorologist at the University of Leipzig and former IPCC lead author
In an influential cli-fi novel, a desperate government ignores international consensus and pumps aerosols into the atmosphere to cool the world. Could it happen for real?
