Can warming particles enter global climate discussions?
Tami C. Bond, Environmental Research Letters, 2, 045030, 2007. “Soot” or “black carbon,” which comes from incomplete combustion, absorbs light and warms the atmosphere. Although there have been repeated suggestions that its action can form a viable component of decreasing global warming, it is not yet considered when choosing actions to reduce climatic impact. In this article, I examine four conceptual barriers to considering aerosols in global agreements. I conclude that some of the major objections to considering aerosols under hemispheric or global agreements are illusory because: (1) A few major sources will be addressed by local regulations, but the remainder may not be addressed by traditional air quality management. (2) Climate forcing by carbon particles is not limited to “hot spots;” about 90% of it occurs at relatively low concentrations. (3) While aerosol science is complex, the most salient characteristics of aerosol behavior can be condensed into tractable metrics, includi
