In trying to reduce air pollution, China may have sped up global warming: Study

An effort to fight air pollution in China and across East Asia may have

unintentionally expedited global warming, at least over a short term. The findings come in a new study published in Communications Earth and Environment on Monday

Researchers discovered while air pollution did clear up significantly, some of the aerosols eliminated in the process were those that cool the earth

This caused temperatures to increase by about 0.05 degrees Celsius per decade since 2010

The revelations come as China has implemented strict air quality regulations. It was able to reduce emissions of sulfur dioxide by 75 percent after enacting the stricter rules

But while sulfur dioxide is harmful to humans and wildlife, its particles are among those of aerosols used to cool the planet

As Straight Arrow News reported, when clouds form around certain aerosols, their particles absorb solar energy from the atmosphere and work to dim sunlight on the ground

In the absence of clouds these aerosols can still be used to reflect sunlight away from Earth and towards space Before China aggressive air quality control measures pollution had been the leading cause

of premature death in the country, according to researchers. However, fewer cooling aerosols in

the air around East Asia and the globe have resulted in greater warming of the planet

The authors contend the fight against climate change should largely focus on eliminating the

biggest drivers of global warming, CO2 and methane emissions. Researchers discovered the

temperature increased by using data from major climate models projected from the years 2015 to

2049. The co-author of the study acknowledged that because sulfur dioxide and sulfate aerosols have

lifespans of about a week, the temperature increase may be short-lived and prior warming

trends may re-emerge in the near future. Researchers plan to study the impact of

eliminating aerosols around the world as part of further research to predict future climate trends

For more on this story, download the Straight Arrow News app or visit san.com. For Straight Arrow News, I'm Kaylee Carey