A web portal about climatic effect of black carbon is open

(Nanowerk News) Mitigation opportunities of black carbon emissions are presented and their effects are considered globally, in Europe and in Arctic area. The user can choose maps concerning black carbon and other short-lived climate forcers (SLCF); organic carbon and sulphur dioxide emissions, concentrations and effects nowadays and their development in years 2020 and 2030.
The biggest emission sources in Europe and Northern America are households that burn solid fuels for heating and diesel engines in the transport sector. In developing countries also solid fuel combustion in cooking stoves and traditional coke and brick making kilns are significant emission sources.
Black carbon concentrations will decrease in the future in Europe, North America and China, whereas substantial increases are predicted over India and large areas in Africa under the influence of current air pollution policies and legislation (CLEC scenario).
The portal is one of the main products of project “Mitigation of Arctic warming by controlling European black carbon emissions”. The project will continue until end of year 2013. Apart from the Finnish Meteorological Institute, the University of Helsinki, the Finnish Environment Institute, and the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis of Austria (IIASA) are participating in the project. The Project is co-financed by the EU LIFE09+ programme (LIFE09 ENV/FI/000572).
Source: Finnish Meteorological Institute