Unintended warming: How reduced ship emissions may accelerate climate change

Cargo ship. Credit: Pixabay

In 2020, new international shipping regulations drastically cut sulfur emissions from ships, leading to a sharp reduction in the formation of bright, reflective clouds known as “ship tracks.” These clouds had been playing a subtle but significant role in cooling the planet by reflecting sunlight back into space. In a new study published in Geophysical Research Letters, researchers show that there has been a slight warming effect since these regulations were implemented, particularly in the Northern Hemisphere, raising concerns that the changes in shipping practices might be inadvertently accelerating global warming.

While reducing sulfur emissions is crucial for improving air quality and public health, it also eliminates the cooling effect that had been offsetting some of the warming caused by greenhouse gases