+1 vote
in Climate Change by
by (140 points)
This statement is factually true. Cleaning air pollution heats the planet because it can harm the environment.  A professor at Cornell University, Natalie Mahowald, says, “Temperatures will increase as aerosols are cleared up for air quality."
by (100 points)
This statement is factually true. The article "In a paradox, cleaner air is now adding to global warming" by Paul Voosen states that "Burning coal or gasoline releases the greenhouse gases that drive climate change. But it also lofts pollution particles that reflect sunlight and cool the planet, offsetting a fraction of the warming." The article also includes how James Hansen, a retired NASA climate scientist, agrees with this statement.

8 Answers

+2 votes
by Apprentice (1.8k points)
selected by
 
Best answer

This statement appears to be factual. The pollution of the air can lead to environmental and bodily harm, including pulmonary disease and several respiratory diseases, according to the National Institute of Environmental Health. However, according to a report from the Center for International Climate Research that was published on March 4, 2024, combatting the contamination which helps shield the earth from the sun’s full force would lead to increased global warming, another phenomenon that has proven to be dangerous. 

Through its study, the Center for International Climate Research discovered that the recent reduction in emissions of tiny particles (which are a significant cause of air pollution) has actually caused the Earth’s climate system to heat up.  

This discovery has been corroborated by other trustworthy research studies and websites, such as expert Patricia Quinn, an atmospheric chemist at the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Quinn spoke to the news agency Reuters about the information. "It's this Catch-22," she said. "We want to clean up our air for air quality purposes but, by doing that, we're increasing warming."

Reuters examined the results from the peer-reviewed journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, which has been widely established as credible and expert-driven. The study, which was co-authored by verified experts Qiang Zhang, Yixuan Zheng, and over 30 contributors, revealed that China’s initiative to target air pollution between 2013 and 201 has led to a significant decrease in SO2 emission by nearly 90%. However, Reuters observed the meteorological data during this time as well, and found that China's average temperatures have risen by 0.7 degrees Celsius since 2014, causing more intense heat waves. This has revealed a correlation between the two phenomena, according to some scientists. 

Air Pollution and Your HealthNational Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (.gov)https://www.niehs.nih.gov › health › topics › agents › air…

https://cicero.oslo.no/en/articles/cleanup-of-air-pollution-heats-the-earth

https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/cop/climates-catch-22-cutting-pollution-heats-up-planet-2023-11-02/

https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1907956116

True
+1 vote
by Champion (14.6k points)

This claim is true. According to CICERO, "Recent reductions in emissions of tiny particles, the major cause of air pollution globally, have led to more heat in the Earth’s climate system." "The drive to banish pollution, caused mainly by sulphur dioxide (SO2) spewed from coal plants, has cut SO2 emissions by close to 90% and saved hundreds of thousands of lives." "Aerosols are masking one-third of the heating of the planet," said Paulo Artaxo, an environmental physicist and lead author of the chapter on short-lived climate pollutants in the most recent round of reports by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), completed this year. "If you implement technologies to reduce air pollution, this will accelerate – very significantly – global warming in the short term."

True
+1 vote
by Newbie (230 points)

In some ways, it's almost like a double-edged sword when it comes to addressing global temperature changes. Since this statement is true, reducing and cleaning up air pollution can immediately improve human health. However, certain pollutants that cool the effect on earth due to sunlight can contribute to a slight warming of the earth's surface by cleaning the air. In general, when it comes to cleaning the air, it matters what type of pollution is being cleaned and the overall balance of greenhouse gases.

https://cicero.oslo.no/en/articles/cleanup-of-air-pollution-heats-the-earth

https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1907956116

Exaggerated/ Misleading
+1 vote
by Newbie (200 points)

It appears as though this statement is true because it includes credible evidence such as quotes from senior researcher at CICERO Center for International Climate Research, Øivind Hodnebrog, a lead person in the study conducted. The article also lists its references at the bottom of the page. 

True
+1 vote
by Newbie (200 points)

The claim seems to be factual I have searched it online, took a deep dive finding that the claim of clean air pollution seems to heat the planet. The pollution in the air is leading up to some consequential issue like the pollution in the atmosphere. The "efforts: of trying to keep the air clean seems to conflict with trying to make a change. 

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/cleaning-up-air-pollution-may-strengthen-global-warming/

+1 vote
by Newbie (200 points)

This article seems to be factual because looking at the references sources it seems to be factual as to where the information is from. I also researched who the people were and what they do and write a lot of articles about the envirorment.

+1 vote
by Newbie (200 points)
This Reddit thread is true! This is the research article proving the claim that cleaning air pollution does heat the earth: https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-024-01324-8. The article found that forces to clean air pollution have very little effect on the EEI but the EEI was worsening while cleaning.
+1 vote
by Novice (500 points)
After going over the article from Reddit and doing my own research, the statement seems to be factual. According to the article from The New York Times, titled Less Pollution, More Global Warming, goes in-depth about how although cleaning the pollution in the air is good, it is still causing global warming.
True

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