Volcanoes and Global Warming: An Explosive Relationship

The effects of climate change on volcanoes are becoming clearer. Their activity could be disrupted. Volcanism itself changes the climate. By what mechanisms do volcanoes and climate interact? What are the consequences? What risks do human societies face?

They are known for their spectacular angers, their incandescent lava flows and their clouds of ashes that darken the sky and emit CO2. In addition to their image as destroyers, volcanoes hide a much more discreet facet... and beneficial for the climate. A team of UCLouvain scientists, in collaboration with the University of Geneva, have highlighted an unknown phenomenon: explosive volcanic eruptions can, in the long term, help capture atmospheri…