A recent study published in Science has shed light on the factors driving global temperature increases over the past two years. The researchers, led by Goessling et al., have found that a significant contributor to this surge is a decrease in planetary albedo – the measure of the Earth’s reflectivity.
The study used data from CERES and ERA5 reanalysis to analyze changes in albedo across different latitudes and distinguish between various factors, including solar cycle anomalies, ENSO, and volcanic activity. While the authors were unable to isolate the specific impact of human activities such as shipping emissions or aerosol releases, they did find that regional warming patterns are more pronounced in areas with reduced emissions.
The study’s lead author, Goessling, noted that previous research had largely focused on atmospheric forcing, excluding albedo changes from consideration. However, she argued that accounting for albedo effects can reveal new insights into climate mitigation strategies.
As one commenter noted, the paper highlights the importance of considering local albedo changes to mitigate urban heat island effects and their broader impacts on ecosystems and human populations.
Source: https://www.realclimate.org/index.php/archives/2024/12/nature-2023-part-ii