Scientists have discovered that black carbon, or soot, has been contributing to global warming on a much larger scale than previously calculated.

It now has been determined that soot makes double the amount of impact on the environment than was previously believed. It is the second leading contributor to climate change, behind only carbon dioxide. Methane ranks third.

Black carbon, which is produced from diesel engines and wood-fired stoves, has about two-thirds the climate impact of carbon dioxide, according to research (pdf) published in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres.

Piers Forster, one of the soot study’s authors and a professor at the University of Leeds School of Earth and Environment, said reducing black carbon can help address rising temperatures and improve public health.

He said the new information presents “exciting opportunities to cool climate by reducing soot emissions.” He added that taking action against soot is “a no-brainer” because it would also benefit public health, since black carbon can cause heart and respiratory problems.

-Noel Brinkerhoff

To Learn More:

Black Carbon Ranks as Second-Biggest Human Cause of Global Warming (by Juliet Eilperin, Washington Post)

Climate Change: Soot's Role Underestimated, Says Study (by Matt McGrath, BBC News)

Bounding the Role of Black Carbon in the Climate System: A Scientific Assessment (by T. C. Bond, S.J. Doherty, D.W. Fahey, P.M. Forster, T. Berntsen, B.J. DeAngelo, M.G. Flanner, S. Ghan, B. Kärcher, D. Koch, S. Kinne, Y. Kondo, P. K. Quinn, M.C. Sarofim, M.G. Schultz, M. Schulz, C. Venkataraman, H. Zhang, S. Zhang, N. Bellouin, S.K. Guttikunda, P.K. Hopke, M.Z. Jacobson, J.W. Kaiser, Z. Klimont, U. Lohmann, J.P. Schwarz, D. Shindell, T. Storelvmo, S.G. Warren, and C.S. Zender; Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres) (pdf)

Bipartisan Support for Combating Soot (by Jenny Kim, AllGov)

Controlling Two Pollutants Could Cut Global Warming in Half: U.N. Report (by Noel Brinkerhoff, AllGov)