Black Carbon: Its Sources, Environment and Health Impacts & Mitigation Solutions for Sustainable Development

Black carbon (BC), in spite of being a short-lived climate pollutant (SLCP), with life time of only few days, is found to be a powerful climate forcer that has hundreds to thousand times more potential of warming the atmosphere than carbon dioxide. It severely affects climate, cryosphere, human health, ecosystems and agricultural productivity. BC is a formed by the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels, wood and other fuels. Household cooking methods are the major contributor of the global carbon emissions, followed by transport, industrial and agriculture sectors. Wild fires also contribute to BC emission. BC absorbs the incoming solar radiation which heats the atmosphere, affecting the cloud formation and rainfall in the region. which is critical for agriculture, affecting human livelihoods in addition to ecosystem. This, in turn, affects the economy. Its deposition on ice/snow, reduces its surface albedo that increases the absorption of sunlight, in turn, faster melting of ice/glaciers and rise in sea level. The Arctic and glaciated regions of Himalayas are under high risk. Being small enough in size, black carbon can be inhaled, contributing to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases leading to lung cancer and even to birth defects. Coordinated efforts would be required for attaining zero carbon emission for sustainable development, a goal set by UNEP. This paper presents a review on the various sources of black carbon, its effects on environment, health and economy. The steps to be taken to reduce the black carbon level for sustainable development are also reviewed.