Anna Hartz
The Sky Is Getting Clearer. That’s a Problem
If you grew up in the 60s, 70s, or 80s, you probably remember lying in the grass and spotting clouds shaped like animals or dragons.
That game has become harder for kids today. There are fewer clouds in the sky than before, according to DR.
Data from the EU’s climate service Copernicus shows this change clearly. Fewer clouds mean more sun hours.
Thinner Clouds Adds to Global Warming
The numbers show that countries in Europe, take for example Denmark – a country which has seen record amounts of sunshine in recent decades. Even though clouds vary year to year, the trend is clear.
Kristian Pagh Nielsen from the Danish Meteorological Institute explains that over the past 45 years, clouds have become both fewer and thinner.
Thinner clouds let more sunlight through. This isn’t just about nice weather. It also adds to global warming.
Clouds normally help cool the planet by reflecting sunlight back into space. With fewer clouds, more sunlight reaches the ground. That warms the planet faster. This problem is bigger than many people think.
An Underestimated Effect
James E. Hansen, one of the world’s most well-known climate scientists, says this warming effect is being underestimated.
Hansen believes we’re on track for 4.5 degrees of warming. That’s worse than the 3 degrees many models currently expect.
He says this would lead to more storms, heavy rain, floods, droughts, and wildfires. It could also cause a major ocean current to collapse within 20 to 30 years.
One reason for fewer clouds is cleaner air. Ironically, pollution used to help form clouds. Tiny particles in dirty air gave water something to stick to.
Less pollution means fewer of those particles and fewer clouds. Also, the Earth is warming so fast that it’s changing cloud formation.
Eigil Kaas, a Danish climate expert, says he’s worried Hansen might be right. He’s studied the sky all his life and says recent energy measurements show Earth is absorbing more heat than it gives off.
Oceans are soaking up heat fast. He compares it to five to eight Hiroshima bombs of energy every second.
Experts stress we need more data. But if Hansen is right, warming is happening faster than most models predicted. And that could be a much bigger problem than we’re ready for.
