Aerosol cleanup accelerates warming, exposing climate sensitivity gap

Reductions in aerosol pollution, while improving air quality, are removing a cooling effect that has masked part of greenhouse-gas-driven warming, contributing to recent heat extremes. The episode highlights an emerging scientific debate over the pace of warming and the true climate sensitivity, with implications for climate projections and policy. The exact magnitude of the unmasked warming remains uncertain, but the trend is consistent with prior research.