How Does Black Carbon Impact the Environment?
While fossil fuels may have powered the Industrial Revolution over the last 200 years and more, we have become increasingly aware of the damaging environmental repercussions that exploiting them produces. Carbon dioxide has stolen the majority of the headlines in this respect, but there are a variety of other gases, particles and contaminants emitted by their combustion which can also negatively impact the natural world. Black carbon is chief among these, with some scientists arguing that the substance represents the second biggest contributor to climate change and global warming behind CO2. That’s because as particulate pollution (as opposed to a gaseous contaminant), it can retain heat in the atmosphere far more effectively than CO2. Here’s a deeper dive into this ubiquitous pollutant’s impact on the environment. As well as warming the air and thawing the icecaps, black carbon is also responsible for detrimentally impacting the flora and fauna on planet Earth. Its presence in the air can prevent sunlight from reaching the ground and inhibiting the process of photosynthesis, while it can also artificially increase the temperature on foliage if it settles there, disrupting the plant’s delicate harmony.