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Black carbon, a short-lived but highly potent climate pollutant, is responsible for nearly half of global warming to date, a new report has found. Scientists have warned that cutting black carbon emissions could be one of the fastest ways to slow climate change and mitigate extreme weather.
The study, released by the Clean Air Fund and backed by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), found that black carbon — commonly known as soot — along with other superpollutants are responsible for nearly half of global warming to date and poses a serious threat to water security for billions of people.
The findings of the report were presented at events in Paris and New York as part of the first-ever World Day for Glaciers, highlighting the urgency of addressing black carbon pollution to protect the planet’s ice reserves and safeguard communities reliant on stable climate conditions.
Black carbon accelerates the melting of glaciers, ice sheets and sea ice, particularly in the Arctic and the Hindu Kush Himalaya, the study warned. In South Asia, black carbon emissions also disrupt monsoon rainfall patterns, increasing the risk of flooding and extreme weather events, which in turn threaten food security and livelihoods.
“Based on data from 2013, residential solid fuel burning and brick kilns together account for 45 per cent-66 per cent of the anthropogenic black carbon deposition in the Hindu Kush Himalaya region, which encompasses parts of eight countries (Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Myanmar, India, and Pakistan),” the report stated.
Other major contributors include brick kilns, rice mills and the sugar industry.
Black carbon, a key component of fine particulate matter (PM 2.5), has severe health implications. The report estimated that air pollution caused by black carbon contributed to over eight million premature deaths in 2021. The economic burden of black carbon-related pollution is also significant, costing more than 6 per cent of global GDP annually, with the worst impacts felt by the poorest and most marginalised communities.
The study also linked black carbon to the rapid warming of the Arctic, which is heating up four times faster than the global average. This accelerates the risk of climate tipping points, which could have irreversible consequences for the planet.
Despite the serious risks, current efforts to tackle black carbon remain insufficient. The report identifies six major barriers to action — political, scientific, financial, regulatory, industrial and communication-related. It argued that existing solutions could achieve an 80 per cent reduction in black carbon emissions by 2030, compared to just a 3 per cent decrease under current policies.
Izabella Koziell, Deputy Director General at ICIMOD, stressed the importance of urgent action. “The fastest way to achieve progress on clean air is to target the abatement of black carbon and other super-pollutant sources coming from sectors like residential biomass combustion, transportation and industry, amongst others,” she said in a statement.
ICIMOD’s experience in the Hindu Kush Himalaya region shows that investing in cleaner technologies, along with continued advanced monitoring and a strong policy support mechanism can lead to long-term environmental, economic and health benefits — an approach that is critical for one of the world’s most polluted regions, Koziell added.
The report called for decisive measures, including:
Requiring ships operating in or near the Arctic to use cleaner fuels through the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and setting a new post-2025 black carbon emissions target via the Arctic Council.
Integrating black carbon reduction targets into national clean air and energy policies, as well as in revisions of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement.
Implementing coordinated action on super-pollutants, such as comprehensive waste management solutions that cut both black carbon and methane emissions.
Increasing funding for research to strengthen the evidence base on black carbon’s climate and health impacts, particularly for vulnerable communities in both the Global North and South.