Black Carbon

11 Nov 2024 10:55:32 am

Tags : Black Carbon

Topic: Pollution

Why in the news?

A new study reveals that India’s potent black carbon emissions from kerosene lamps make up 10% of total residential emissions. It also suggests that Eastern India contributed 60% of India’s black carbon emissions from secondary light sources.

Source: Down To Earth

About Black Carbon:

It is the dark, sooty material emitted alongside other pollutants when biomass and fossil fuels are not fully combusted.
It comprises a significant portion of particulate matter or PM, which is an air pollutant.
It is a short-lived climate pollutant with a lifetime of only days to weeks after release in the atmosphere.
It is an important contributor to warming because it is very effective at absorbing light and heating its surroundings. It contributes to warming by converting incoming solar radiation to heat.
It also influences cloud formation and impacts regional circulation and rainfall patterns.
When deposited on ice and snow, black carbon and co-emitted particles reduce surface albedo (the ability to reflect sunlight) and heat the surface.
Impacts:
- It contributes to global warming and poses severe risks. Studies have found a direct link between exposure to black carbon and a higher risk of heart disease, birth complications, and premature death.
- It has a warming impact on climate that is 460-1,500 times stronger than CO2.
Most black carbon emissions in India arise from burning biomass, such as cow dung or straw, in traditional cookstoves.