Air pollution increases the financial damage of climate change by up to two-thirds, according to new research from the USA. The study revealed that in some cases, smog raises the social cost of carbon by as much as 66 percent.
The measurement is used to help governments determine the benefits of a proposed policy. It includes the effects on human health, economies and agriculture. Study lead author Dr. Geeta Persad, of the University of Texas at Austin, said: “Carbon dioxide has the same impact on climate no matter who emits it but for these aerosol pollutants, they tend to stay concentrated near where they are emitted, so the effect they have on the climate system is very patchy and very dependent on where they are coming from.”
The findings are based on simulations of aerosols across Western Europe, the US, Brazil, China, East Africa, India, Indonesia and South Africa. They are emitted from vehicle exhausts, factories and power plants.
