Including all types of emissions shortens timeline to reach Paris Agreement temperature targets

Including all types of emissions shortens timeline to reach Paris Agreement temperature targets

Looking beyond carbon dioxide emissions to include other human-generated pollutants, like methane, nitrogen oxide and particulate pollution, changes the picture for how much warming is already 'baked in' to the climate system. Earth will continue to warm even if all emissions cease, and Earth will be committed to reaching peak temperatures about five to 10 years before experiencing them.

Including all types of emissions shortens timeline to reach Paris Agreement temperature targets

Countries around the world pledged in the Paris Agreement to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, or, at most, 2 degrees Celsius. As emissions rates gradually begin to decline, countries are looking at how many greenhouse gases can still be emitted while remaining below these temperature targets, which are deemed the upper limits to avoid the most catastrophic impacts to the climate system.

Including all types of emissions shortens timeline to reach Paris Agreement temperature targets

Looking beyond CO2 to include other human-generated pollutants increases the amount of warming that humans have already committed to by past emissions. Earth will continue to warm even if all...

Including all types of emissions shortens timeline to reach Paris Agreement temperature targets

Instead of focusing on carbon dioxide's effect on future temperature, new research includes the related human-generated emissions of methane, nitrogen oxide and