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Why Were 2023 and 2024 So Hot?

Union of Concerned Scientists

Albedo is the total reflection of incoming solar radiation by Earth. As industrial aerosols decreased due to this new regulation, particularly over the North Atlantic Ocean, the planetary albedo slightly decreased, which means that more incoming solar radiation was absorbed by the planet rather than reflected. What is albedo?

2024 269
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What Is a Climate Model and How Does It Work?

Union of Concerned Scientists

Climate models are the main tool climate scientists use to predict how Earth will respond to more heat-trapping pollutants in the atmosphere. But what exactly is a climate model? Lets start off easy by breaking down the phrase climate model.” What do I mean by this?

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How Do ‘Future Climate Scenarios’ Shape Climate Science and Inform Policy? 

Union of Concerned Scientists

Initially it used four different emission storylines from the Special Report on Emissions Scenarios (SRES) as a scientific basis, however, recognizing the need for a more flexible and policy-relevant framework, scientists developed the Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs) for the IPCC reports.

Radiation 149
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AR6 of the best

Real Climate

As climate scientists we tend to look at the IPCC reports a little differently than the general public might. Here are a few things that mark this report out from previous versions that relate to issues we’ve discussed here before: Extreme events are increasingly connected to climate (duh!) 1981) which can be seen here.

Sea Level 361
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New Climate Research From a Year-Long Arctic Expedition Raises an Ozone Alarm in the High North

Inside Climate News

Warming of the surface of the Arctic is matched by a colder polar vortex high in the atmosphere, which is speeding the breakdown of the Earth’s shield against ultraviolet rays.

Ozone 145
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Science denial is still an issue ahead of COP28

Real Climate

The energy balance of our planet , the radiation arriving and leaving, is continually monitored by a global radiation network at the surface and by dedicated satellites. And yes, also the increase in back-radiation towards the Earth surface from the CO2 greenhouse effect is a measured fact.

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Plastic aerosols in the atmosphere could affect the climate

Physics World

Although the threats these microplastics pose to natural ecosystems are now being studied extensively, their influence on Earth’s climate is still virtually unknown. Climate scientists know that aerosols like dust, pollen, and soot will alter temperatures on Earth’s surface as they scatter and absorb sunlight. Altitude matters.