Study finds climate-driven greening is reshaping East Asia's air pollution
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A new study from Pusan National University, published in Environmental Research, finds that updating vegetation data with recent satellite observations significantly alters biogenic emissions and air pollution projections in East Asia. The researchers demonstrate that climate-driven greening, especially in parts of China, leads to increased ozone and biogenic secondary organic aerosols, with the largest effects in suburban areas.
The Study
Researchers from Pusan National University, the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, and collaborating institutions used the WRF-Chem atmospheric chemistry model coupled with the MEGAN biogenic emissions model. They replaced the model's default vegetation dataset from 2003 with satellite-derived observations from 2024 while keeping meteorological conditions identical. This approach isolated the impact of vegetation changes alone. The findings were published in 2026 in Environmental Research.
Vegetation Changes
Satellite observations show an overall increase in vegetation across East Asia, with strong greening in parts of China and localized declines in Japan. These changes directly affect emissions of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) such as isoprene and monoterpenes, which are precursors to ground-level ozone and secondary organic aerosols.
Pollution Impact
Updated vegetation data led to noticeable shifts in modeled ozone and biogenic secondary organic aerosol concentrations. The largest increases occurred in suburban areas, where balanced vegetation growth and nitrogen oxide availability favored secondary pollutant formation. Urban areas showed smaller responses due to limited vegetation change despite high NOₓ levels, while rural areas had low NOₓ despite substantial greening.
What's Next
The researchers call for regular updates of vegetation datasets in biogenic emission modules to improve air quality forecasting. As climate change continues to alter ecosystems, it remains unclear how these vegetation-driven emission changes will interact with future pollution control policies.
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Study finds climate-driven greening is reshaping East Asia's air pollution
