Reflecting on surface albedo and climate

Changes in land use and vegetation cover influence both land and water surface biogeochemical as well as biogeophysical processes. While the major emphasis has been on how these changes influence the biogeochemical processes underlying carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, recent evidence suggests that biogeophysical effects, associated with changes in surface reflectivity, or albedo, can have an impact of similar magnitude but are largely unaccounted for. Almost inevitably, any modifications in land use or land cover result in a change in surface characteristics, which can lead to significant modifications in albedo. Although often having the opposite climate impact of measures to enhance carbon sequestration or reduce GHG emissions, there are also potential synergies. Here, we review current knowledge on how Earth’s surface features affect albedo, how albedo and albedo changes affect climate and how this can be quantified (including showcase scenarios), and how albedo management affects climate mitigation.