Curbing Black Carbon

UN – curbing black carbon would bring dramatic, quick benefits to all

Study says targeting black carbon would cool temperatures and improve global health, farming and economy in short time

Diesel vehicles are one of the sources of black carbon. Photograph: Sang Tan/AP

14 June 2011 - Global warming could be slowed down if governments cleaned up what's known as black carbon from industry and cooking fires, 50 of the world's leading atmospheric scientists said on Tuesday.

Major air pollutants such as black carbon, methane and ground-level ozone mostly result from the soot and gases formed by the incomplete burning of fossil fuels, wood and biomass. These pollutants only remain in the atmosphere for a few days or weeks, and are mostly seen by governments as important for health and air quality.

But the UN environment programme, working with the World Meteorological Organisation, said these "short-lived climate forcers" contribute as much as 25-30% to present-day climate change emissions, and if controlled would also provide dramatic health and farming benefits.

"A small number of emission reduction measures ... offer dramatic public health, agricultural, economic and environmental benefits," said Achim Steiner, the head of the UN environment programme. {continued}

UN Press Release: Action to Curb 'Soot' and 'Smog' Pollution Could Help Limit Global Temperature Rise