Win-Win: IMPROVING AIR QUALITY AND

CLIMATE CHANGE?

SUMMARY by Iván Osorio.

Climate Change is a reality that is produ ed by the Green-House Ee t (GHE),

a phenomenon o urring in the atmosphere and aused by the apa ity of its

omponents to absorb or ree t the in oming solar radiation. This apa ity is

known as radiative for ing.

Atmospheri pollutants are widely varied, with natural origins as water va-

por, with anthropogeni origins as CH4 , N Ox , V OC ′ s (this last two produ ing

Ozone) and aerosols, or from a mixed origin (in part natural, in part anthro-

pogeni ) as CO2 . Aerosols have a dual ee t in Climate Change be ause the

absorbent ones rises planet's temperature while the s attering ones have the

opposite ee t ree ting solar radiation.

The impa t of this omponents is widely dierent. In fa t, there are Short-

lived pollutants (lifetime of years) as CH4 and aerosols, and there are Long-

lived ones (lifetime of enturies) asCO2 . This hara teristi s in lifetime imply

dierent limate responses fa ing our engagements to ontrol the presen e of

those pollutants.

Finally, smart ontrol of those pollutants ould represent a gain in publi

health but also an opportunity to take prots.

169 words.