Reducing black carbon will slow climate change while saving millions of lives: Study

• Black carbon is a potent climate pollutant with significant impacts on human well-being, the environment, and climate change.
• It has a short-term warming potential up to 1,500 times greater than carbon dioxide and is responsible for millions of premature deaths annually worldwide.
• Black carbon emissions are highest in low- and middle-income countries, with half of all emissions coming from just five countries.
• Approximately 48% of all black carbon emissions are attributable to the residential sector, particularly from the use of dirty cooking fuels.
• Implementing targeted solutions across the residential, transportation, and industrial sectors in high-emitting regions would dramatically reduce black carbon emissions. This would also prevent millions of premature deaths and save trillions of dollars per year.

In a study released by Project Drawdown, a leading authority on climate solutions, offers an in-depth analysis of the impact of addressing black carbon, also known as soot.

The report suggests that tackling black carbon could mitigate global warming, prevent millions of premature deaths, and save trillions of dollars annually on a global scale.

Black carbon, primarily produced by the incomplete burning of fossil fuels and organic matter for cooking, transportation, and industrial processes, is a significant pollutant and greenhouse gas. It has a short-term warming potential that can be up to 1,500 times greater than that of carbon dioxide.

Cut black carbon, save lives

Black carbon is a global health and economic concern, causing millions of premature deaths each year and increasing the risk of cardiovascular, respiratory, and other diseases. This leads to a loss of trillions of US dollars in economic productivity annually. The burden is particularly heavy in low- and middle-income countries, where unclean fuels like wood are still widely used for heating, cooking, and energy production.

In a pioneering study, researchers from Project Drawdown pinpoint global hotspots and sources of black carbon, offering invaluable insights for policymakers and funders. The report identifies the most effective solutions and their optimal locations for the highest emissions reductions.

“Globally, we are nowhere near reaching the black carbon emissions targets set by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change,” says Project Drawdown scientist and report author Yusuf Jameel, PhD. “Fortunately, all of the solutions we need to get back on track are already at our fingertips, they just need to be strategically deployed. It’s imperative that country leaders and funders start to take black carbon seriously and incorporate the solutions identified in this report into their climate action plans. Our planet and the millions of lives at risk each year can’t wait.”

Black carbon hotspots by location and sector

The researchers examined two of the most extensive datasets on global greenhouse gas emissions, providing a detailed view of black carbon trends across major sectors at the country and regional level. The study revealed that the residential sector is the primary contributor to black carbon, accounting for 48% of global emissions. This is largely due to the 2.6 billion people, predominantly in low- and middle-income countries, who depend on solid fuels such as wood, charcoal, dung, or coal for heating and cooking.

“Dirty air kills more people each year than all lives lost of cancer, smoking, and war combined,” says Project Drawdown scientist and report author Paul West, PhD. “Switching to cleaner cooking fuels improves household air quality, which improves people’s hearts and lungs, and cuts out the time required to gather fuelwood.”

Transportation, particularly diesel-fueled vehicles and ships, and industry, through inefficient iron and steel production using brick kilns, boilers, and coke ovens, were identified as the next largest contributors, accounting for 24% and 12% of emissions respectively.

On a country basis, the study revealed that China and India are the leading emitters of black carbon, contributing to one-third of global emissions. They are followed by Brazil, Indonesia, and Nigeria. Collectively, these five countries are responsible for half of the global black carbon emissions each year. However, the proportion of emissions from various high-emitting sectors varies across regions.

Prioritizing high-impact solutions

In addition to pinpointing the major geographic and sectoral sources of black carbon, the researchers also propose the most effective solutions currently available that would yield the greatest benefits for both people and the planet.

“Though the problem might seem intractable, there are actually several affordable, low-effort solutions. Targeting widespread adoption in a few key places would quickly and dramatically reduce global black carbon emissions,” West says.

The researchers identified the most immediate solution as providing universal access to clean cooking devices and fuels, especially in regions like sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia. The researchers estimate that achieving this by 2030 would require an investment of approximately US$8–10 billion per year. This initiative could result in a reduction of about 42% of global residential black carbon emissions. Simultaneously, it would enhance the well-being of billions of people and help to prevent deforestation for woodfuel.

“Worldwide, more than 40 countries have a population that relies heavily on dirty cooking fuels,” Jameel says. “Yet, only eight of those have adequate policy measures in place to accelerate the adoption of clean alternatives. This presents a major opportunity for policymakers and funders to work together to reduce black carbon emissions and human suffering.”

The report also highlights other solutions, such as phasing out diesel vehicles or equipping them with readily available filters, which could reduce related emissions by up to 90%. Implementing stricter air quality standards, similar to those in North America and the European Union, would necessitate the modernization of high-polluting industrial technologies. One of the most crucial actions suggested is updating the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change’s list of climate pollutants to include black carbon, which would expedite reduction efforts.

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