Cleaning up polluted air could make global warming WORSE and cause Earth to become dangerously hot, study warns

  • Removing aerosol pollutants from the air could heighten global warming
  • Doing so could push globe's temperature to rise by half a degree C to 1 degree
  • This is problematic given that the earth has already warmed by 1 degree
  • Experts want earth's temp to remain 1.5 to 2 degrees above pre-industrial levels

The very contaminants that are helping to fuel global warming may also be masking its effects, research has indicated. 

Efforts to remove pollutants from the air could result in an increase in warming, extreme weather and other climate effects, according to the study, which was published in the scientific journal Geophysical Research Letters. 

Specifically, removing aerosols, which are human-made pollutants often emitted by industrial activities, could push the earth's temperature to become half a degree to 1.1 degree C warmer. 

The very contaminants that are helping to fuel global warming may also be masking its effects. Efforts to remove pollutants from the air could result in an increase in warming, extreme weather and other climate effects, according to a new study. Stock image

The very contaminants that are helping to fuel global warming may also be masking its effects. Efforts to remove pollutants from the air could result in an increase in warming, extreme weather and other climate effects, according to a new study. Stock image

AEROSOL GEOENGINEERING

Recent research has warned against the solar geoengineering methods that inject aerosols into the atmosphere may have on the environment.

The controversial approach, known as stratospheric aerosol injection, is designed to reflect some sunlight before it reaches Earth's surface.

The process would mimic the natural aftermath of volcanic eruptions, when sulphuric acid and other gases are naturally injected into the atmosphere.

Experts suggest that planes or hot air balloons would spray millions of tons of sulphur dioxide a year into the upper atmosphere at the Equator over the course of decades.

While some scientists claim this could cool down Earth, others suggest it could wreak havoc with our weather patterns.

Advertisement

It might not seem like much of an increase, but it has the potential to make the earth's temperatures approach dangerous levels.

Experts have said they hope to keep world temperatures within 1.5 to 2 degrees Celsius of their pre-industrial levels, Scientific American noted

The earth may have already warmed by a degree, which means any incremental increases could make a big difference. 

Not only would cooling the earth result in warmer global temperatures, but it may also enhance the related effects of global warming. 

Chief among those effects are increasingly dangerous weather, such as precipitation and natural disasters.   

'We also see that the impact that these aerosols have on temperature in Asia really transports northwards to the Arctic region, northern Europe, Norway, the northern U.S.,' said Bjørn Samset, the study's lead author, according to Scientific American. 

'That part of the world is also quite sensitive to the changes in aerosols in Asia.'

The scientists also noted that the negative effects of removing pollutants tend to be stronger in areas that were more polluted to begin with. 

Researchers used four global climate models to simulate the impact of removing human-contributed emissions of major aerosols, such as sulfate and soot. 

The scientists concluded that doing so would warm the earth by half a degree to 1.1 degrees Celsius. 

For the time being, Samset said he hopes that the study will help 'inform the next generation' of climate research.

The study follows similar research that found artificial cooling techniques, often referred to as 'geoengineering,' can be harmful to the earth. 

Removing aerosols, which are human-made pollutants often emitted by industrial activities, could push the earth's temperature to become half a degree to 1.1 degree C warmer. Stock image

Removing aerosols, which are human-made pollutants often emitted by industrial activities, could push the earth's temperature to become half a degree to 1.1 degree C warmer. Stock image

One technique involves firing aerosols into the atmosphere to combat global warming. 

Doing so would cool ultimately cool the earth by blocking incoming solar radiation. 

However, if the geoengineering technique is abruptly stopped, it can actually cause the planet to warm ten times faster than normal. 

This could lead to devastating floods or droughts and could be a 'huge threat' to the natural environment and biodiversity. 

'If geoengineering ever stopped abruptly, it would be devastating, so you would have to be sure that it could be stopped gradually, and it is easy to think of scenarios that would prevent that,' said Professor Alan Robock, a co-author of the study, which was published by Rutgers University.   

The comments below have not been moderated.

The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.

We are no longer accepting comments on this article.