Reducing Black Carbon

Black carbon, a component of soot, is a potent climate-forcing aerosol and may be the second-leading cause of global warming after carbon dioxide (CO₂). Unlike CO₂, however, black carbon remains in the atmosphere for only a few days or weeks. Therefore reducing these emissions will have an almost immediate climate mitigation impact. While substantial reductions of greenhouse gas emissions should remain the anchor of overall climate stabilization efforts, dealing with black carbon may be the fastest means of near-term climate mitigation and could be critical in forestalling climate tipping points. ¹