THE WASHINGTON POST - Completely reforesting Earth might help cool the planet more than expected but still not enough to offset the warming that has occurred since industrial times, a recent analysis finds. The scientists modeled what might happen if humans reached the planet’s reforestation potential, adding about 4.6 million square miles of trees and...
EARTH.COM - Replanting the world’s forests could significantly reduce global warming, particularly in tropical regions, according to a new modeling study. But even if every tree lost since the 19th century were replaced, the cooling impact would still fall short of reversing the full effects of human-caused climate change. Emissions cuts, the authors stress, remain...
GRIST - Michael Diamond thought he’d have to wait until this year, at least, to have enough data to understand how a shipping regulation aimed at curbing pollution affected the clouds that deck the ocean. “They’re so variable. They’re so wispy. They’re so ever, ever changing,” he said. “So you really often need a lot...
ANTHROPOCENE - It’s hard to fathom that there’s an upside to air pollution. But it’s becoming clear that, paradoxically, cleaning up tailpipes and smokestacks comes with a price for the planet. As pollution controls cut emissions of aerosols such as sulfur dioxide, scientists are uncovering the myriad ways these tiny, sunlight-reflecting particles have been taking...
EARTH.COM - The quest for cleaner air is a noble, shared aspiration for a healthier planet and happier lungs. But what if this pursuit to improve air quality by reducing aerosol pollution, however well-intentioned, inadvertently fuels a different kind of environmental disaster? A study from the University of California, Riverside (UCR) reveals a startling paradox...
INVERSE - Nobody likes smog. Aerosol pollution, a mucky particulate cocktail of soot, dust, chemical fumes, and other compounds that linger in the atmosphere, is a worldwide problem. It’s unsightly, triggers environmental harms like acid rain, and is terrible for the health of humans and wildlife alike. Scientists and environmental advocates generally agree: We want...