EMISSIONS LAG

It could take decades for even big reductions in greenhouse gas emissions to lead to detectable changes in global surface temperatures, a new study in Nature Communications has found.

Even fully removing emissions of shortlived climate forcers like black carbon would not be discernible for a decade. The findings emphasise the need for long-term commitment, the authors say.

“The study reinforces our understanding that climate change is a long-term problem that will not simply disappear if all humanrelated emissions stopped tomorrow,” said Grant Allen, professor of atmospheric physics at the University of Manchester.