Black Carbon

About Black Carbon:

• It is commonly known as soot and is a component of fine particulate air pollution (PM2.5).
• It is formed by the incomplete combustion of wood and fossil fuels, a process which also creates carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide, and volatile organic compounds. 
• Most black carbon emissions in India arise from burning biomass, such as cow dung or straw, in traditional cookstoves.
• It has a warming impact on climate that is 460-1,500 times stronger than CO2.
• Impacts on Environment and Human Health
  • It warms the atmosphere because it is very effective at absorbing light.
  • It exacerbates the warming of the air and surfaces in regions where it is concentrated, altering weather patterns and ecosystem cycles.
  • It lasts only days to weeks in the atmosphere but has significant direct and indirect impacts on the climate, snow and ice, agriculture, and human health. 
  • It also influences cloud formation and impacts regional circulation and rainfall patterns.
  • When deposited on ice and snow, black carbon and co-emitted particles reduce surface albedo (the ability to reflect sunlight) and heat the surface.
  • It contributes to global warming and poses severe risks. Studies have found a direct link between exposure to black carbon and a higher risk of heart disease, birth complications, and premature death.