CNBC: ‘Inadvertent geoengineering’ – researchers say low-sulfur shipping rules made climate change worse

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CNBC reports:

A sweeping regulatory change in 2020 to slash air pollution from the world’s ships could have played a role in boosting global average temperatures, according to the findings of a controversial study.

Described at the time as the “biggest change in oil market history,” the International Maritime Organization (IMO) enforced new standards on Jan. 1, 2020, to cut their fuel sulfur content to 0.5%, down from 3.5%.

The rule change resulted in an 80% reduction in sulfur dioxide emissions, a team of scientists said in a paper published by the Communications Earth & Environment journal on May 30, and may help to explain why last year’s record-breaking heat was so extreme…

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