· 2 min read
illuminem summarizes for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on The Washington Post or enjoy below:
🗞️ Driving the news: Scientists are linking the record heat of 2023 and 2024—both reaching around 1.5°C above preindustrial levels—to a decline in cloud cover
• Two new studies suggest that fewer low-altitude clouds are reducing Earth’s reflectivity, allowing more heat to be absorbed
• This could indicate the start of a dangerous climate feedback loop
🔭 The context: Clouds influence climate by both cooling (reflecting sunlight) and warming (trapping heat)
• Research shows that cloud-heavy zones are shrinking, with Earth's albedo (reflectivity) at its lowest since 1940
• The loss of reflective cloud cover may have added 0.2°C of warming to 2023’s record temperatures—matching the previously unexplained rise
🌍 Why it matters for the planet: If cloud loss continues, it could accelerate warming beyond current projections, making extreme heat more frequent
• Scientists warn that this feedback loop could push global temperatures past the 1.5°C threshold earlier than expected
• Understanding and addressing this phenomenon is crucial for climate adaptation and mitigation efforts
⏭️ What's next: Researchers are racing to determine if cloud loss is a long-term trend or a short-term fluctuation
• Climate models will need to be updated to incorporate these findings
• If this pattern continues, the world may face even more severe climate impacts than previously predicted
💬 One quote: “We are kind of in crunch time. We have a really strong climate signal—and from year to year, it’s getting stronger.” — Helge Goessling, climate physicist at the Alfred Wegener Institute
📈 One stat: Cloud-heavy regions are shrinking by about 1.5% per decade, reducing Earth's reflectivity and driving warming
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