Global warming is speeding up. Another reason to think about geoengineering
Seen from afar—as it first was, by human eyes, on Christmas Eve 1968—Earth is a wonder. Fossil fuels contain traces of sulphur along with the carbon and hydrogen that give them their name; the sulphur dioxide that is created when hydrocarbons burn forms tiny airborne particles that make the air smoggy. Likewise, restrictions on the sulphur content of fuel used by shipping has seen emissions on the high seas plummet since 2020. Quite how much of Earth’s accelerated warming can be put down to the reduction in sulphur emissions is uncertain. A thin layer of sulphates deliberately added to the stratosphere could provide the same amount of cooling as all the thick, polluting smogs clogging the lower atmosphere while doing much less damage to human health.
Discover Related
India’s vital efforts to tackle air pollution could worsen warming
Earth is warming faster. Scientists are closing in on why
The surface of our oceans is now warming four times faster than it was in the late 1980s
Earth crossed this climate milestone in 2024. Effects will be visible in 2025
What is the latest science telling us about climate change?
Ghaziabad’s pollution levels dip in 2024; particulate matter still above limit
The controversial machine sending CO2 to the ocean and making hydrogen
Clouds may be the reason the world is warming faster than expected
Earth is heating up faster than expected and humans are not ready for it
World nears 1.5°C warming threshold, carbon budget dwindling
"Alarm bells ringing" as report finds greenhouse gas emissions growing faster than ever
Greenhouse Gas Levels Soar to Record, Warns WMO
Climate Crisis: World Paying a Terrifying Price for Inaction, UN Warns