Deforestation amplifies climate change effects on warming and cloud level rise in African montane forests.

Tropical montane forest ecosystems are pivotal for sustaining biodiversity and essential terrestrial ecosystem services, including the provision of high-quality fresh water. Nonetheless, the impact of montane deforestation and climate change on the capacity of forests to deliver ecosystem services is yet to be fully understood. In this study, we offer observational evidence demonstrating the response of air temperature and cloud base height to deforestation in African montane forests over the last two decades.

Co-Carbonization of Discard Coal with Waste Polyethylene Terephthalate towards the Preparation of Metallurgical Coke.

Waste plastics such as polyethylene terephthalate (w-PET) and stockpiled discard coal (d-coal) pose a global environmental threat as they are disposed of in large quantities as solid waste into landfills and are particularly hazardous due to spontaneous combustion of d-coal that produces greenhouse gases (GHG) and the non-biodegradability of w-PET plastic products. This study reports on the development of a composite material, prepared from w-PET and d-coal, with physical and chemical properties similar to that of metallurgical coke. The w-PET/d-coal composite was synthesized via a co-carbonization process at 700 °C under a constant flow of nitrogen gas.

Biomass burning aerosols in most climate models are too absorbing.

Uncertainty in the representation of biomass burning (BB) aerosol composition and optical properties in climate models contributes to a range in modeled aerosol effects on incoming solar radiation. Depending on the model, the top-of-the-atmosphere BB aerosol effect can range from cooling to warming. By relating aerosol absorption relative to extinction and carbonaceous aerosol composition from 12 observational datasets to nine state-of-the-art Earth system models/chemical transport models, we identify varying degrees of overestimation in BB aerosol absorptivity by these models.

Seasonal influences on surface ozone variability in continental South Africa and implications for air quality.

Although elevated surface ozone (O) concentrations are observed in many areas within southern Africa, few studies have investigated the regional atmospheric chemistry and dominant atmospheric processes driving surface O formation in this region. Therefore, an assessment of comprehensive continuous surface O measurements performed at four sites in continental South Africa was conducted. The regional O problem was evident, with O concentrations regularly exceeding the South African air quality standard limit, while O levels were higher compared to other background sites in the Southern Hemisphere.