East Asian air cleanup likely contributed to acceleration in global warming

Here’s a frustrating climate twist: Efforts to clean up air pollution in East Asia—largely by reducing sulfur dioxide emissions—may have unintentionally sped up global warming. Those tiny pollution particles (aerosols) actually reflected sunlight away from the Earth, acting like a temporary brake on rising temperatures. Now, with cleaner air, more heat is reaching the planet’s surface. Scientists warn this doesn’t mean we should stop fighting air pollution—health and environmental benefits are still huge—but it underscores how complex and interconnected climate systems really are.