Seeing Forests Through Clouds: Comment on "Recent global temperature surge amplified by record-low planetary albedo" (arXiv:2405.19986)

TL;DR

This paper critiques a recent study linking 2023's warming to decreased planetary albedo, proposing that biospheric disruption may also play a significant role, supported by new evidence not previously considered.

Contribution

It introduces the hypothesis that biospheric disruption could contribute to planetary albedo decline, expanding the scope of factors influencing global warming beyond ocean and aerosol mechanisms.

Findings

Biospheric disruption may influence planetary albedo.

Three new lines of evidence support biosphere's role.

The paper highlights the need to consider biosphere in climate models.

Abstract

Goessling et al. (1) link the record-breaking warming anomaly of 2023 to a global albedo decline due to reduced low-level cloud cover. What caused the reduction remains unclear. Goessling et al. considered several geophysical mechanisms, including ocean surface warming and declining aerosol emissions, but did not discuss the biosphere. We propose that disruption of global biospheric functioning could be a cause, as supported by three lines of evidence that have not yet been jointly considered.