A new international study published in the journal Communications Earth & Environment shows that the sharp decline in China’s fine particulate – or aerosol – emissions is the most important single factor behind the acceleration of global warming since 2010. Aerosols have previously cooled the climate, but their reduction has now made the warming effect of greenhouse gases more clearly visible. The Finnish Meteorological Institute contributed to the research through comprehensive climate simulations. According to the results, the reduction in China’s aerosol emissions alone has increased global average temperatures by approximately 0.07 °C since 2010. The induced warming is evident across the entire Northern Hemisphere.
While improving air quality saves lives, the study highlights the urgent need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The study is part of the Finnish Meteorological Institute’s long-standing international collaboration on the climate effects of aerosols and part of the ACCC flagship (Atmosphere and Climate Competence Center). Read more…
Further information:
Senior Researcher Joonas Merikanto, Finnish Meteorological Institute
joonas.merikanto@fmi.fi | +358 40 5668512
The scientific article is available in Communications Earth & Environment:
https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-025-02527-3