Black Carbon and Global Warming

Black carbon, or soot, is responsible for 20% of the climate change problem, but not enough is being done.

Over the past few years, the scientific evidence on the link between climate change and black carbon, also known as soot, has become increasingly convincing. Climate scientists globally are now in broad agreement that as well as reducing carbon-dioxide emissions, it is also necessary to adopt policy measures to concurrently curtail black carbon emissions.

While there is still research to be done to accurately quantify the impact of black carbon, scientists are now saying that:

• Black carbon is responsible for around 20% of the climate change problem globally, making it the second biggest contributor to climate change.

• The impact of black carbon is accentuated in the Arctic and the Himalayas, with some scientists saying that it is responsible for approximately 50% of climate change in those regions. Over half of the black carbon in the Arctic and the Himalayas originates from the EU.

• As it is a particle and not a gas, reductions of black carbon have a practically immediate effect on the atmosphere, as opposed to reductions in carbon-dioxide, which, although essential in the fight against climate change, take around 100 years to make an impact on the climate.

AEGPL therefore believes that it is time for the EU and its partners to get serious about black carbon as part of its climate change strategy. DG environment of the European Commission recently published a news alert on this issue, and many other stakeholders from the European and global academic, NGO and business communities have registered a strong interest in fighting this issue, including the German branch of Friends of the Earth, and leading US environmental group Earth Justice.

AEGPL calls on the EU to:

• Integrate specific measures aimed at curbing black carbon emissions during the future revisions of the ambient air quality and national emissions ceilings Directives;

• Support the broadening of the Gothenburg Protocol on Transboundary Air Pollution to include black carbon emissions;

• Continue to support and publicize research aimed at clarifying the nature and extent of black carbon’s influence on the climate.

If you would like further information, please contact the AEGPL’s Manager for Energy and Environment Policy, Samuel Maubanc, at samuel.maubanc@aegpl.be