Unprecedented shifts in aerosol pollution sources in China under a decade of clean air actions
Abstract China is a major hotspot of black carbon (BC) emissions, contributing to climate warming and risk to public health. Here, our dual-isotope-constrained observations indicate stringent air pollution controls have drastically reduced coal-burning in North China over the past decade, marking a...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Communications Earth & Environment |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-025-02487-8 |
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| author | Wenzheng Fang Nikolaos Evangeliou Sabine Eckhardt Hang Xiao Haibo Li |
| author_facet | Wenzheng Fang Nikolaos Evangeliou Sabine Eckhardt Hang Xiao Haibo Li |
| author_sort | Wenzheng Fang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract China is a major hotspot of black carbon (BC) emissions, contributing to climate warming and risk to public health. Here, our dual-isotope-constrained observations indicate stringent air pollution controls have drastically reduced coal-burning in North China over the past decade, marking a transition to a “post-coal” era compared to earlier 2012–2014. However, biomass-burning fraction (f bb) for north/central/east winter hazes has doubled from earlier (north/east) ~20%, with significantly higher f bb during polluted winters. Comparisons between observation and transport modelling show good alignment in BC concentrations but substantial discrepancies in source attribution (i.e., f bb). Leveraging radiocarbon measurements, advanced atmospheric modelling, and a Bayesian approach, our study identifies biases stemming from misallocated residential fuel types in emission inventories. These findings underscore the untapped potential to mitigate BC emissions by targeting rural biomass burning, while providing critical insights into BC source evolution to refine emission inventories and formulate effective air quality policies for China and other nations facing severe air pollution. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-0d813d01fece4bbfa03f1153a31d4559 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2662-4435 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Communications Earth & Environment |
| spelling | doaj-art-0d813d01fece4bbfa03f1153a31d45592025-08-20T03:04:17ZengNature PortfolioCommunications Earth & Environment2662-44352025-07-016111210.1038/s43247-025-02487-8Unprecedented shifts in aerosol pollution sources in China under a decade of clean air actionsWenzheng Fang0Nikolaos Evangeliou1Sabine Eckhardt2Hang Xiao3Haibo Li4Key Laboratory of Geographic Information Science, Ministry of Education, School of Geographic Sciences, East China Normal UniversityDepartment of Atmospheric and Climate Research (ATMOS), NILUDepartment of Atmospheric and Climate Research (ATMOS), NILUCenter for Excellence in Regional Atmospheric Environment, and Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of SciencesTianjin Key Laboratory of Aquatic Science and Technology, School of Environmental and Municipal Engineering, Tianjin Chengjian UniversityAbstract China is a major hotspot of black carbon (BC) emissions, contributing to climate warming and risk to public health. Here, our dual-isotope-constrained observations indicate stringent air pollution controls have drastically reduced coal-burning in North China over the past decade, marking a transition to a “post-coal” era compared to earlier 2012–2014. However, biomass-burning fraction (f bb) for north/central/east winter hazes has doubled from earlier (north/east) ~20%, with significantly higher f bb during polluted winters. Comparisons between observation and transport modelling show good alignment in BC concentrations but substantial discrepancies in source attribution (i.e., f bb). Leveraging radiocarbon measurements, advanced atmospheric modelling, and a Bayesian approach, our study identifies biases stemming from misallocated residential fuel types in emission inventories. These findings underscore the untapped potential to mitigate BC emissions by targeting rural biomass burning, while providing critical insights into BC source evolution to refine emission inventories and formulate effective air quality policies for China and other nations facing severe air pollution.https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-025-02487-8 |
| spellingShingle | Wenzheng Fang Nikolaos Evangeliou Sabine Eckhardt Hang Xiao Haibo Li Unprecedented shifts in aerosol pollution sources in China under a decade of clean air actions Communications Earth & Environment |
| title | Unprecedented shifts in aerosol pollution sources in China under a decade of clean air actions |
| title_full | Unprecedented shifts in aerosol pollution sources in China under a decade of clean air actions |
| title_fullStr | Unprecedented shifts in aerosol pollution sources in China under a decade of clean air actions |
| title_full_unstemmed | Unprecedented shifts in aerosol pollution sources in China under a decade of clean air actions |
| title_short | Unprecedented shifts in aerosol pollution sources in China under a decade of clean air actions |
| title_sort | unprecedented shifts in aerosol pollution sources in china under a decade of clean air actions |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-025-02487-8 |
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