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Radiative forcing reduced by early twenty-first century increase in land albedo

Author

Listed:
  • Zhengyang Hou

    (Beijing Normal University)

  • Liqiang Zhang

    (Beijing Normal University
    Henan Academy of Sciences)

  • Jingjing Peng

    (University of Maryland)

  • Giovanni Forzieri

    (University of Florence)

  • Aolin Jia

    (Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology)

  • Zhiqiang Xiao

    (Beijing Normal University)

  • Ying Qu

    (Beijing Normal University)

  • Jintai Lin

    (Peking University
    Peking University)

  • Duoying Ji

    (Beijing Normal University)

  • Zidong Zhu

    (Beijing Normal University)

  • Xin Yao

    (Beijing Normal University)

  • Shuwen Peng

    (Beijing Normal University)

  • Lanpu Zhao

    (Henan Academy of Sciences)

  • Wenjie Fan

    (Peking University)

  • Zhaocong Wu

    (Henan Academy of Sciences)

  • Hao Geng

    (Beijing Normal University)

  • Qihao Wang

    (Beijing Normal University)

  • Chenghu Zhou

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Suhong Liu

    (Beijing Normal University)

  • Liangpei Zhang

    (Henan Academy of Sciences)

Abstract

Surface albedo greatly affects how much energy the Earth absorbs. Intensive human activities and accelerated climate change have altered surface albedo across spatial and temporal scales1–3, yet assessments of the effects of land use or land cover (LULC) and snow variations on land surface albedo are scarce at the global scale. As a result, the global land surface albedo dynamics over recent decades and their corresponding radiative forcing to the climate system remain poorly understood4–9. Here we quantify the individual and combined effects of snow cover dynamics, LULC conversions and non-conversion regions on albedo variations during 2001–2020 and estimate their induced radiative forcing. We show that the negative radiative forcing induced by the global land surface albedo change was −0.142 (−0.158, −0.114) W m−2 over the past two decades. The global snow-free land surface albedo increased by 2.2% (P

Suggested Citation

  • Zhengyang Hou & Liqiang Zhang & Jingjing Peng & Giovanni Forzieri & Aolin Jia & Zhiqiang Xiao & Ying Qu & Jintai Lin & Duoying Ji & Zidong Zhu & Xin Yao & Shuwen Peng & Lanpu Zhao & Wenjie Fan & Zhaoc, 2025. "Radiative forcing reduced by early twenty-first century increase in land albedo," Nature, Nature, vol. 641(8065), pages 1162-1171, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:641:y:2025:i:8065:d:10.1038_s41586-025-08987-z
    DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-08987-z
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