Growing plane and ship traffic degrade the air of western North America

Nature2026年10月14日查看原文 ↗
  • RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT

Pollution from transport across the Pacific Ocean is raising ozone levels above a region whose own emissions have dropped.

Silhouette of an aeroplane flying beneath a large bright Sun in a red-orange sky.

An increase in air travel across the Pacific Ocean over the past four decades has contributed to a rise in ‘background’ ozone levels in western North America. Credit: Anna Moneymaker/Getty

Ships and aeroplanes crossing the Pacific Ocean and factories in southeast Asia are contributing to higher background levels of ozone pollution over much of western North America1.

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doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-026-03239-0

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