To slow down global warming, scientists have proposed several geoengineering methods to remove CO2 from the atmosphere or reflect sunlight. These methods are still largely experimental and face significant challenges. Now, researchers have identified an area where geoengineering might have a surprisingly positive impact: reducing air pollution.
The researchers, from the University of California, Berkeley, and the University of Illinois, used computer simulations to study the effects of several geoengineering methods on air pollution in the United States. They found that some of these methods could lead to significant reductions in air pollution, particularly in areas with high population densities and heavy industry.
One method, known as solar geoengineering, involves injecting aerosols into the stratosphere to reflect sunlight and cool the planet. The researchers found that this method could also reduce air pollution by up to 10% in the US, particularly in areas with high levels of particulate matter and ozone pollution.
Another method, known as carbon capture and storage (CCS), involves capturing CO2 emissions from power plants and industrial processes and storing them underground. The researchers found that CCS could reduce air pollution by up to 20% in the US, particularly in areas with high levels of nitrogen oxides and particulate matter pollution.
The researchers also found that a method known as afforestation/reforestation, which involves planting trees to absorb CO2, could reduce air pollution by up to 15% in the US, particularly in areas with high levels of particulate matter and ozone pollution.
The study's findings suggest that geoengineering methods could have a positive impact on air pollution, particularly in areas with high population densities and heavy industry. However, the researchers emphasize that these methods are still largely experimental and face significant challenges, and that more research is needed to fully understand their potential impacts.
The study was published in the journal Environmental Research Letters.
Source: University of California, Berkeley press release, "Geoengineering could have unexpected benefits for air pollution," March 14, 2023. DOI: 10.1088/1748-9326/acae0e
Geoengineering is a set of technologies designed to counteract the effects of global warming by reducing the amount of solar radiation that reaches the Earth's surface or removing CO2 from the atmosphere. While geoengineering methods are still largely experimental, researchers have identified an area where they might have a positive impact: reducing air pollution.
The University of California, Berkeley, and the University of Illinois used computer simulations to study the effects of several geoengineering methods on air pollution in the United