Climate change exacerbates air pollution by increasing temperatures that enhance the formation of harmful pollutants like ground-level ozone and particulate matter. This relationship poses severe health risks and underscores the need for integrated policies that address both climate change and air quality. By reducing emissions of greenhouse gases and short-lived climate pollutants, we can achieve significant public health benefits and mitigate climate impacts simultaneously.

مجتبی ظهور

Climate change and air pollution are two global issues that are interconnected and mutually exacerbate each other. Climate change can affect air pollution, and at the same time, air pollution contributes to climate change. This relationship is complex and has significant implications for human health, ecosystems, and global climate stability.

1. Impact of Climate Change on Air Pollution

• Increased temperatures and intensified pollution: As temperatures rise due to climate change, conditions for the formation of certain air pollutants can worsen. For example, higher temperatures can lead to more ground-level ozone (tropospheric ozone) formation, which is harmful to human health. High temperatures also increase the rate of evaporation from vehicles, factories, and other sources, contributing to higher levels of air pollution.
• More frequent heatwaves: Heatwaves, which result from climate change, can increase the concentration of pollutants such as ozone and particulate matter (PM2.5) in the air. During these periods, higher amounts of emissions from vehicles and industrial sources remain in the atmosphere due to a lack of wind and air mixing, leading to increased pollution levels.
• Changes in humidity and increased rainfall: Climate change can also affect rainfall patterns, which can have a twofold effect on air pollution. Higher rainfall amounts can help "wash" pollutants out of the air, but on the other hand, heavy rains can lead to flooding and the spilling of toxic materials that were previously in the air or on the ground.

2. Air Pollution as a Cause of Climate Change

• Methane and carbon dioxide (CO2): Air pollution does not only involve toxic materials that directly harm human health but also gases that have a significant impact on climate change. Methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) are the two most important greenhouse gases contributing to global warming. Methane, which is released from agriculture (e.g., livestock) and landfills, has a much higher warming potential compared to CO2.
• Black carbon (PM2.5): Most of the fine particulate matter (PM2.5) responsible for air pollution, such as soot from exhaust gases, also contributes to climate change. These particles can absorb solar energy, leading to localized warming, but they can also affect cloud formation and rainfall patterns, worsening the effects of climate change.

3. Effects on Human Health

• Increased risk of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases: Air pollution is a known cause of various health problems, including lung diseases, heart conditions, and asthma. Rising temperatures and air pollution due to climate change can lead to an increase in diseases related to poor air quality.
• More vulnerable individuals: Climate change may worsen conditions for individuals already sensitive to air pollution, such as children, the elderly, and those with chronic illnesses. Heatwaves and polluted air can further affect their health.

4. Impact on Ecosystems

• Acid rain and soil pollution: Climate change can increase the frequency and intensity of acid rain, which forms when pollutants like sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides react in the atmosphere. This acid rain can damage soil, aquatic ecosystems, and plants, exacerbating the effects of climate change on biodiversity.
• Changes in plant growth and soil fertility: Increased levels of CO2 in the atmosphere can affect plant growth and pollination. At the same time, air pollution can reduce soil productivity and lead to the loss of soil fertility.

5. Possible Solutions

• Reducing greenhouse gas and pollutant emissions: Increasing the use of renewable energy sources, improving energy efficiency, and reducing reliance on fossil fuels can significantly reduce air pollution and mitigate climate change.
• Technological innovation: The development of clean technologies, such as advanced filtration systems, can help reduce emissions of pollutants and minimize their impact on the atmosphere.
• Adaptation measures: Adapting to climate change also involves developing strategies to mitigate the consequences of heatwaves, floods, and other extreme climatic events on air quality.

Climate change and air pollution are closely linked and have cascading and compounding effects on the planet. Rising temperatures, intensifying heatwaves, and changes in humidity can worsen air pollution, which further impacts human health and ecosystems. At the same time, air pollution such as CO2 and methane contributes to climate change. To address this issue, it is necessary to simultaneously work on reducing greenhouse gas and pollutant emissions while adapting to the consequences that climate change is already causing.

داده های قابل درک در مورد تغییرات مورد نیاز است، سرمایه گذاری های کمی در تحقیقات وجود دارد که باعث سردرگمی بزرگ در جمعیت عمومی می شود.

Due to climate change, there are tremendous effects on air quality which may cause of air pollution. If collectively we see this issue then there are creating most surprising challenges like public health issues, decline of surrounding environments as parallel to economical impacts. If we go to discuss these all things one by one then it will be very lengthy discussion. But here I would like to point out particulars impacts i.e. increased smog issue, which is currently appear as alarming situation in Pakistan. It exists due to the chemical reactions of NOx gasses which are mostly emitted by industries, vehicles and burning fuels and react with other VOCs in the presence of warm temperature. As a result smog produces which make cause to decline ozone level and also affects the nature of weather and also making worsen cause of cardiovascular disease. Similarly, fine particles release from vehicles and other industries make cause to produce PM10 and 2.5 which are inhalable by human and chock the lungs capillaries and finally reparation issues generate. Due to these impacts, rates of acidic rain also become high, and are fully negatively effected on environment that could be major cause of air pollution. Therefore, it`s a shrink conclusion regarding asked query, if any one has more appropriate points and wants to amend in these lines so I would be thankful.

Climate change and air pollution are closely intertwined through a series of complex atmospheric and ecological feedbacks. While air pollution itself can drive climate change by affecting radiative balance, rising temperatures, altered precipitation patterns, and shifts in atmospheric circulation due to climate change influence the concentration, formation, and distribution of air pollutants. Key ways in which climate change affects air pollution include:

In Summary: Climate change tends to worsen air quality by intensifying conditions favorable to ozone formation, increasing particulate pollution (especially from wildfires and dust), altering atmospheric circulation and precipitation patterns, and enhancing the chemical processes that produce harmful pollutants. These changes have wide-ranging implications for human health, ecosystems, and efforts to manage and mitigate air pollution. As a result, effective climate policies can bring co-benefits by also improving air quality, and vice versa.

To summarize effects of climate change on air pollution it is evidently crucial to consider this in function of the type of pollutant present in the lower troposphere. Climate change can significantly impact air pollution in the troposphere, the lowest layer of Earth's atmosphere where most weather phenomena occur. The effects vary depending on the type of pollutant.

Ozone (O₃)

High temperatures accelerate the chemical reactions leading to the formation of ground-level ozone, a key component of smog. Altered weather patterns lead to more stagnant air conditions, trapping ozone and other pollutants closer to ground level. Increased frequency and intensity of wildfires due to climate change can release large amounts of ozone precursors, such as nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

Particulate Matter (PM)

Climate change increases the frequency and severity of wildfires and dust storms, which are major sources of particulate matter. Altered rainfall patterns affect natural cleansing of the atmosphere, leading to higher concentrations of particulate matter. vvdvIncreased sea levels can lead to more coastal erosion, releasing more particulate matter into the air.

Nitrogen Oxides (NOx)

Increased Energy Demand: Higher temperatures can increase the demand for air conditioning, leading to more fossil fuel combustion and higher NOx emissions. As mentioned, wildfires release significant amounts of NOx, which can react with other pollutants to form ozone and particulate matter.

Sulfur Dioxide (SO₂)

Altered weather patterns affect the dispersion and deposition of SO₂, leading to higher local concentrations. Similar to NOx, higher energy demand due to increased temperatures can lead to more SO₂ emissions from fossil fuel combustion.

Carbon Monoxide (CO)

Increased wildfires can release large amounts of CO into the atmosphere. Changed Weather Patterns: Stagnant air conditions can trap CO closer to the ground, increasing local concentrations.

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)

High temperatures increase the evaporation of VOCs from various sources, such as solvents and fuels and even vegetation. As with other pollutants, wildfires are a significant source of VOCs.

Ammonia (NH₃)

Changed agricultural practices due to climate change can affect ammonia emissions, which contribute to the formation of particulate matter lie ammonium nitrate. High temperatures can increase the volatilization of ammonia from agricultural sources.

Overall Impacts

Increased air pollution leads to a range of health issues, including respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. High levels of air pollutants harms ecosystems, affecting plant growth and wildlife. Increased air pollution leads to higher healthcare costs, reduced productivity, and economic losses. Climate change and air pollution are interconnected, with each exacerbating the effects of the other. Addressing climate change through mitigation and adaptation strategies can help reduce air pollution and its associated impacts.

I am not even considering the interactions of cited pollutants here, since not much is known about mixtures of the cited pollutants and the impact of climate change on mixtures of these pollutants. It seems to me that this is a new realm of research for atmospheric scientists.

When fire and ice meet

"Wildfires are raging around the globe with increasing intensity and frequency, transforming ecosystems and affecting the climate of regions far beyond. Now, a study shows that boreal forest fires are amplifying Arctic warming due to increased local solar absorption from biomass burning aerosols...

Further work leveraging multi-model intercomparisons and more observational constraints is required to develop a clearer understanding of the regional and seasonal characteristics of aerosol–climate interactions in a changing Arctic..."

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41558-024-02183-z.epdf?sharing_token=eek_leDtCQZqT4Nw2P07ftRgN0jAjWel9jnR3ZoTv0Pqr5BdpU-D9R_IgY0af9EIaeJMfOkaHx5xu65xsh2pwMn8Sj92RWByw3WzeRhwcVA12qCnceg9RJq7mQn4H5LqYk3MiaHoSyHFWhID20e2cfQN2NI6tasSebESmd6twnA%3D

سلام ومتشکرم

Air quality could decrease as a result of the rise in extreme weather events brought on by climate change. Particulate matter pollution and tropospheric ozone (sometimes referred to as ground-level ozone) levels rise in response to longer summers, more wildfires, and drought.

CO2 pollution threatens self-cleaning orbit

"The greenhouse effect makes part of the upper atmosphere cooler and less dense, reducing the drag on space junk that ultimately causes it to burn up. “We rely on the atmosphere to clean up our debris. There’s no other way,” says astrodynamics researcher Will Parker, who co-authoured a new study on the effects of global warming on space. With more litter clogging up low-Earth orbit, the available area for satellites will keep shrinking unless carbon emissions are cut."

https://www.independent.co.uk/space/climate-change-earth-orbit-space-junk-nasa-b2714233.html

Light pollution and atmospheric turbulence from a green-hydrogen plant proposed for construction in Chile will cause “devastating, irreversible” damage to some of the world’s most powerful telescopes, say astronomers at the European Southern Observatory (ESO)...

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-00397-5

Urban environments significantly increase risk of developing asthma – new research

Our study revealed that air pollution, lack of green space and areas built primarily from concrete and asphalt were key factors in asthma risk...

"Researchers have long know that environmental factors, such as air pollution and lack of green spaces, are linked to respiratory diseases such as asthma. But the joint impact of these various environmental factors on a person’s risk of developing asthma has, until now, remained unclear.

Our study is the first to reveal the joint impact of multiple environmental factors in urban areas, known as the urban exposome, on the risk of developing asthma. We found that air pollution, lack of green space and areas built primarily from concrete and asphalt are linked with significantly greater risk of developing the condition..."

https://theconversation.com/urban-environments-significantly-increase-risk-of-developing-asthma-new-research-256715?

Dear friends مجتبی ظهور , Ljubomir Jacić , Saadiyah Hasan Halos , Frank Veroustraete , Abhijit Mitra , Muhammad Ahmed Qureshi , Fábio Lopes Brezolin

Thank you for raising such a thought-provoking question regarding the intersection of climate change and air pollution. This is a complex and timely topic, and I appreciate the opportunity to explore it with you step by step.

Climate change and air pollution are deeply interconnected. Changes in temperature and weather patterns can significantly influence the concentration and distribution of air pollutants. For example, higher temperatures can increase the formation of ground-level ozone, a harmful pollutant, while altered precipitation patterns may affect how pollutants are dispersed or removed from the atmosphere. Extreme weather events, such as wildfires or heatwaves, can also lead to sudden spikes in air pollution, further complicating the relationship.

Conversely, air pollution itself can impact climate change. Certain pollutants, like black carbon and methane, have strong warming effects, while others, such as sulfate aerosols, can temporarily cool the atmosphere. The interplay between these factors means that efforts to address one issue often influence the other, sometimes in unexpected ways.

I would be interested to hear your observations or experiences regarding these connections. Are there particular factors or local examples you believe play a significant role in this interaction? Please feel free to share your insights or any questions you may have.

some of my articles published can be a good read/cite:

Chapter Air Pollution and Climate Change: Relationship Between Air Q...

Technical Report How to develop Green Culture with Sustainable actions for Cl...

Technical Report Green Culture: Sustainable Actions for Climate Change

Best regards,

Kaushik

Wildfires Are Challenging Air Quality Monitoring Infrastructure

The U.S. has one of the world’s most advanced systems to monitor air pollutants. Can it keep up with a changing climate?

The U.S. has one of the world’s most advanced systems to monitor air pollutants, but the system is built with industrial emissions in mind and lacks consistent regional coverage. Now, with wildfires increasing in frequency and intensity, experts say that system should be updated...

https://undark.org/2025/07/04/wildfires-aqi-infrastructure/

Climate change worsens air pollution through higher temperatures that increase ozone formation, more frequent wildfires releasing particulate matter, and changes in wind patterns that trap pollutants, amplifying health risks, especially in vulnerable urban populations.