An anticipated rise in the frequency, intensity and duration of heatwaves and an associated increase in wildfires this century is likely to worsen air quality, harming human health and ecosystems. The interaction between pollution and climate change will impose an additional 鈥渃limate penalty鈥 for hundreds of millions of people, according to a from the World Meteorological Organization (). The 鈥渃limate penalty鈥 refers specifically to the climate change amplification effect on ground-level ozone production, which negatively impacts the air people breathe.
鈥淎s the globe warms, wildfires and associated air pollution are expected to increase, even under a low emissions scenario. In addition to human health impacts, this will also affect ecosystems as air pollutants settle from the atmosphere to Earth鈥檚 surface,鈥 says .