Bento et al. (2026) Climate-pollution compound extremes drive PM2.5 beyond WHO air quality guidelines

Identification

• Journal: Weather and Climate Extremes
• Year: 2026
• Date: 2026-07-08
• Authors: Virgílio A. Bento, Renata Libonati, Qianfeng Wang, Wil Laura, Sander Veraverbeke, Daniela C. A. Lima, João António Martins Careto, Rita Durão, Pedro M. M. Soares, Rita M. Cardoso, Célia Marina Gouveia, Carlos C. DaCamara, José M. C. Pereira, Ricardo Machado Trigo, Ana Russo
• DOI: 10.1016/j.wace.2026.100933

Research Groups

• Instituto Dom Luiz (IDL), Faculdade de Ciˆencias, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal
• Departamento de Meteorologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
• College of Environment & Safety Engineering, Fuzhou University, China
• Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University, Australia
• Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the Netherlands
• School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, United Kingdom
• Instituto Portuguˆes do Mar e da Atmosfera, I.P., Portugal
• CERENA – Centro de Recursos Naturais e Ambiente, Instituto Superior T´ecnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal
• Forest Research Centre, TERRA Associate Laboratory , School of Agriculture, University of Lisbon, Portugal

Short Summary

This study provides a global assessment of compound climate-pollution events that link poor air quality, heatwaves, droughts, and fires. The analysis reveals widespread hotspots where these events occur, with significant impacts on fire intensity and pollution levels.

Objective

• Investigate the global prevalence and intensity of compound climate-pollution events
• Quantify the spatial and temporal dynamics of these events across global and continental scales
• Examine the seasonal role of fire-related extremes in shaping both fire intensity and PM2.5 pollution

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Global, with a focus on six regions: North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Oceania, and Africa
• Temporal Scale: 2003-2022, using daily data at a spatial resolution of 0.75◦× 0.75◦

Methodology and Data

• Models used: ERA5 reanalysis, CAMS PM2.5 products, and MODIS fire radiative power (FRP)
• Data sources: Meteorological reanalysis, air quality monitoring, and satellite-based observations of fire activity

Main Results

• Compound events are widespread across the globe, with hotspots in Africa, Asia, South America, Europe, and North America
• The co-occurrence of heatwaves, droughts, and fires significantly amplifies fire intensity and PM2.5 pollution levels
• The simultaneous occurrence of all four hazards (PHDF: pollution + heatwave + drought + fire) is rare but has significant impacts on ecosystems and human health

Contributions

• This study provides a comprehensive global assessment of compound climate-pollution events, highlighting their widespread nature and significant impacts
• The analysis reveals the importance of considering multiple environmental stressors when developing early-warning systems and adaptation strategies

Funding

• This research was supported by various projects and programs, including:
  • Instituto Dom Luiz (IDL)
  • Departamento de Meteorologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro
  • College of Environment & Safety Engineering, Fuzhou University
  • Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for 21st Century Weather

Citation

@article{Bento2026Climatepollution,
  author = {Bento, Virgílio A. and Libonati, Renata and Wang, Qianfeng and Laura, Wil and Veraverbeke, Sander and Lima, Daniela C. A. and Careto, João António Martins and Durão, Rita and Soares, Pedro M. M. and Cardoso, Rita M. and Gouveia, Célia Marina and DaCamara, Carlos C. and Pereira, José M. C. and Trigo, Ricardo Machado and Russo, Ana},
  title = {Climate-pollution compound extremes drive PM2.5 beyond WHO air quality guidelines},
  journal = {Weather and Climate Extremes},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.1016/j.wace.2026.100933},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wace.2026.100933}
}