What do you do when your best efforts to protect the planet seem to do just the opposite? Hopefully, drop anchor and dive deep to figure out exactly what’s going on, then chart a new course and set sail once again. And that’s what certain climate scientists are doing right now (metaphorically, of course).
Good intentions to reduce ocean pollution
In 2020, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) implemented regulations on cargo ship fuel to reduce sulphur content from 3.5% to 0.5%. The goal? “To curb the harmful aerosol pollution released by [cargo] ships” which produce ship tracks.
- Ship tracks are “[narrow clouds]” that form from a combination of water vapour and pollution from ship exhaust
- The occurrence of ship tracks has been significantly reduced since the introduction of fuel regulations
- Ship tracks can “[radiate heat back into space]” due to their chemical composition
Unexpected effects of sulphur content reduction
So, what happens when sulphur content is significantly reduced? Less pollution (yay!) and surprisingly, increased global temperature (darn).
One American climate scientist, James Hansen, recently published a study on the issue. He concludes that because of the reduction of ship tracks and the subsequent loss of heat radiation, more energy is being absorbed by the ocean:
- Global warming will increase to a ”rate of at least 0.27°C per decade” – up from 0.18°C per decade prior to 2010.
- Global temperature will reach 1.5°C higher than pre-industrial temperatures during the 2020s and 2.0°C higher by the 2050s
The solution
Hansen has proposed a three-fold solution that includes:
- Further human intervention to manage “earth’s radiation imbalance”
- Increased global price on greenhouse gases (such as carbon tax)
- Cooperation between the East and West in a way that would support “developing world needs”
Not exactly a walk in the park, but at least there’s hope!
The takeaway
Global temperature management is no easy task, and sometimes even our best efforts may not yield the results we’re looking for. When that happens, the best thing to do is learn from our mistakes and keep trying and pushing forward!
Dig Deeper: Read Hansen’s full study and [CBC’s summary] on what he and others are saying. Spoiler: not everyone agrees on the issue!
LAND MANAGEMENT