A shift to low-sulphur ship fuel to improve air quality inadvertently accelerated global warming, a study reveals.
The transition of global shipping to low-sulphur fuels since 2020 has inadvertently triggered a spike in global warming, a study published Thursday suggests. This switch, intended to enhance air quality, has potentially doubled the rate of warming this decade and has already contributed to unprecedented heat in the past year. The study explains that sulphur pollution particles typically reflect and absorb sunlight, creating a cooling effect by making clouds more reflective.
While the move to cleaner fuels was anticipated to diminish this cooling effect, the study indicates it may have intensified warming more than expected. The research underscores the potential of deliberately brightening clouds to mitigate global warming effects, albeit with caution due to potential side effects.
The International Maritime Organization’s regulation, effective January 2020, drastically reduced sulphur dioxide emissions from shipping, but it unexpectedly diminished the reflective capacity of clouds, exacerbating warming trends. Last year witnessed record-breaking temperatures, continuing into 2024, attributed predominantly to human-induced climate change, though other factors like El Nino are also considered.
