Black carbon the dark horse of climate change drivers

Black carbon (BC), the main component of soot, is produced by the incomplete combustion of carbon-rich fuels. Over the past decade, it has been recognized as a potent climate warmer, yet to date, BC has not been explicitly targeted through any global, regional, or national climate change policies or regulations.  · April's second news story, "Black Carbon: The Dark Horse of Climate Change Drivers," looks at the latest climate science on black carbon, considered by many experts to be the best candidate for high-impact emission-reduction policies, and discusses where policy on this pollutant, the major component of diesel exhaust, might head in the future. Black Carbon (BC) has recently emerged as a major contributor to global climate change, possibly second only to CO 2 as the main driver of change. BC particles strongly absorb sunlight and give soot its black color. BC is produced both naturally and by human activities as a result of the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels, biofuels, and biomass. Primary sources include emissions from diesel .

(). Integrated Assessment of Black Carbon and Tropospheric Ozone: Summary for Decision Makers. Organic carbon” is a term of art referring to organic compounds that contain carbon. Organic carbon is not as black as black carbon, and it absorbs solar heat much less effectively. (). Out of equilibrium? The world’s changing ice cover. Black carbon: the dark horse of climate change drivers Inefficient combustion in poor diesel engines, open cooking fires, and the burning of coal and biomass produce aerosols with organic soots, or "black carbon," as well as atmospheric brown clouds. “Food and agriculture is the dark horse in the fight against climate change. It may be the hardest sector to rapidly halve emissions,” said Brent Loken from the EAT Foundation and lead author of the chapters on food consumption and nature-based solutions.

Reductions of black carbon and methane would have substantial co-benefits (high ) and are driving responses to climate change (Roberts, ). 20 កញ្ញា BY Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment “Food and agriculture is the dark horse in the fight against climate change. Part II The Impacts of climate change on growth and development. Introduction 23 Supporting the transition to a low carbon global economy.