Super pollutants like ozone, methane and black carbon are having a significant impact on global warming and human health, according to experts.
Claire Henly, executive director at the Super Pollutant Field Catalyst, said these super pollutants cause “roughly half” of current global warming during an online press conference.
Henly added they also cause millions of premature deaths per year from air pollution and other causes and can be linked to the destruction of tens of millions of tonnes of crops every year.
She said over a 100-year time period, a substance like methane will be about 30 times more potent than carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide will be roughly 300 times more potent than carbon dioxide.
Henly said the three main super-pollutants which impact human health are methane, ground level ozone and black carbon.
She added methane contributes to the formation of ground level ozone, which is an air pollutant and causes millions of premature deaths every year and black carbon is a component of PM2.5 particles.
Black carbon comprises the visible, dark fumes emitted from vehicles, wildfires, household activities such as cooking with traditional fuels, and industrial activity.
And Henly said the climate impacts of these substances remained “really under recognized, even in the climate community”.
“Super pollutants often stay in the atmosphere for less time,” she explained. “If we reduce super pollutants today, it’s going to make it easier for the world to adapt to climate change. And it is going to slow the rate of warming over time.”
Also speaking at the online event was Pierpaolo Mudu, a technical officer at the World Health Organisation European Centre for Environment and Health, who said while there is more research to be done on these substances, there is already enough information out there to take action.
“We need to have the community mobilised to understand the effects ozone, black carbon and methane are having on Earth,” said Mudu.
Rachel Huxley, head of climate mitigation and health at Wellcome said super pollutants, like ozone and black carbon, are also having an impact on food security and crop yields.
Huxley added tropospheric ozone is estimated to be responsible for staple crop yields losses of up to 12% for wheat, 16% for soybean, and 4% for rice.
“It is clear that tackling super pollutants is critical for our health and from a climate perspective, it’s vital,” she told the online event.
“And cutting emissions of super pollutants is one of the quickest ways to tackle climate change,” she added.
“Studies have shown global action to reduce emissions of super pollutants could avoid around four times more warming by 2050 than decarbonisation policies alone.”
The Clean Air Fund also recently published a report, which highlights the need to tackle black carbon.
The report warns black carbon is responsible for 39% of glacier melt in the Tibetan Plateau and similarly affects the Himalayas, Alps, Andes and Rockies.
And it argues it is a major reason why the Arctic is warming four times faster than other parts of the world.
The report calls for black carbon to be prioritised in clean air and energy policies and integrated into national action plans
“The devastating impacts of climate change are being felt worldwide,” said Clean Air Fund chief executive, Jane Burston in a statement.
“Reducing black carbon, alongside other super pollutants, is the fastest, most effective way to slow climate change, while also mitigating the enormous health impacts of air pollution. Yet to date not enough has been done.”
