Cleaning up air pollution has made winters milder
Written by Kate Ravilious
Research reveals that cleaner skies allow more of the sun’s energy to reach the earth’s surface and have altered high altitude wind patterns
Since the 1960s winters across Europe have become milder, and in the UK our winters have become warmer and wetter. Big snow dumps are less common now. Much of this change can be blamed on anthropogenic global warming, but it turns out that Europe’s efforts to clean its skies have also reduced the likelihood of harsh winter weather.
Air pollution can have a significant impact on our climate. Some pollutants, like sulphate particles, scatter radiation and cause cooling. Air pollution can also change cloud properties. Since the 1970s countries across Europe and North America have significantly curbed their air pollution, resulting in more of the sun’s energy reaching Earth’s surface over these locations.
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