14th January
Atmospheric aerosol loading is another planetary boundary that we should avoid crossing. The global concentration of aerosol particles has more than doubled since pre-industrial times. The effect that excessive aerosol concentration could have in human health and the climate that established the need for a safe limit.
What are these particles? – salt condensed from ocean waters, fine sand from desert dust storms, ice crystals over the poles and ash from fires as well as volcanic eruptions, carbon and sulphur dioxide from fossil fuel power statist and industrial smoke stacks, hydrocarbons from combustion engines and stratospheric vapour crystals from aircraft. (1)
It is another boundary where we are currently within the safe limits and in fact the concentration of aerosol particles in the atmosphere is declining as we are across the globe tackling and reducing air pollution, providing alternatives to open cookings fires, ending crop the burning of stubble after crop harvesting, reducing pollution levels from road vehicles and from commercial cargo ships. Taking action to stay within planetary boundaries is good for the planet and for our wellbeing! (2(
- https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/Space_for_our_climate/Aerosols
- https://www.planetaryhealthcheck.org/boundary/increase-in-atmospheric-aerosol-loading/
The Green Tau 