Oops…Cleaner Fuels Mean Less Clouds, More Warming!
By P Gosselin on 1. June 2024
Better air temporarily warms the atmosphere
Earth's atmosphere
By Klimanachrichten
An interesting article in Spektrum about a development that we have already reported on here. Apparently there is a connection between cleaner fuels for ships and cloud formation, which means more sunshine and higher temperatures.
However, the reduced content of atmospheric sulphate aerosols has ensured that the cloud droplet density has decreased considerably. This in turn led to a darkening of the sea clouds, which reflected less solar radiation back into space. The team calculated the greatest reduction in aerosol concentration for the North Atlantic, the Caribbean Sea and the South China Sea – regions with the busiest shipping routes. According to the study, the new regulation represents a strong temporary shock to the planet’s net heat uptake. “The effect is consistent with the recently observed strong warming in 2023 and is likely to make the 2020s anomalously warm,” the researchers say. Accordingly, IMO2020 could give global warming a significant boost in the coming years. According to the modeling, a warming rate of 0.24 degrees could be expected for the decade – more than twice as much as the average since 1880.”
And because what should not be cannot be, the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research warns. What a surprise.
Independent researchers are critical of the study, however, as the observation period is too short. In addition, the increase in man-made greenhouse gases continues to play the decisive role in climate change. ‘Caution is required,’ Anders Levermann from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) told dpa. If you look at an effect for such a short period of time, it is generally more prone to error than for longer periods of time.”
https://notrickszone.com/2024/06/01/oops-cleaner-fuels-mean-less-clouds-more-warming/