Chapter 2: Atmosphere

The global atmosphere is at a critical stage, with climate change identified as the most pressing issue. While successful international cooperation has phased out ozone-depleting substances and lead in petrol, progress on particulate matter and tropospheric ozone is mixed, particularly in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Despite the availability of low-carbon technologies, greenhouse gas concentrations continue to rise, leaving a gap of several billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent between current pledges and the targets needed to limit global warming to 2°C. The document advocates for an integrated approach to atmospheric protection and the use of short-lived climate forcers as a complementary strategy to CO2 reduction.

• International cooperation has successfully addressed specific atmospheric threats through the phase-out of lead in petrol and ozone-depleting substances using cost-effective solutions.
• Air quality progress is uneven; while developed nations have largely met World Health Organization guidelines for sulphur, nitrogen, and particulate matter (PM), levels of PM in many cities across Africa, Asia, and Latin America remain far above these guidelines.
• Climate change is the primary atmospheric concern, but current emission reduction pledges are insufficient to prevent global temperatures from exceeding the 2°C pre-industrial limit, with a gap of several billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent remaining.
• Reducing short-lived climate forcers (SLCFs), such as methane, black carbon, and tropospheric ozone, offers a rapid way to slow temperature increases and improve health and food security, though this must complement CO2 reductions.
• Governments currently fail to address climate change, air quality, and stratospheric ozone depletion in an integrated manner, despite the potential for an integrated approach to maximize benefits and support economic development.

APA

Stockholm Environment Institute (2012). Chapter 2: Atmosphere. https://www.sei.org/publications/geo-5-chapter-2-atmosphere/

Chicago

Stockholm Environment Institute. Chapter 2: Atmosphere. 2012. https://www.sei.org/publications/geo-5-chapter-2-atmosphere/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Stockholm Environment Institute |title=Chapter 2: Atmosphere |date=6 June 2012 |url=https://www.sei.org/publications/geo-5-chapter-2-atmosphere/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{stockholmenvironmentinstitute2012chapter, author = {{Stockholm Environment Institute}}, title = {{Chapter 2: Atmosphere}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2012}, month = jun, url = {https://www.sei.org/publications/geo-5-chapter-2-atmosphere/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }