Unraveling the complex impact of climate change on air quality in the world

By systematically reviewing over 10,000 publications using a large-language-model-based framework, the authors provide a large-scale quantitative assessment of the global research landscape on climate change’s impact on air quality. Particulate matter (PM) and ozone (O3) are the most frequently studied pollutants, with a notable shift in focus from O3 to PM in recent years. Temperature, as a primary climatic driver, profoundly influences air pollution by altering emissions, chemical reactions, and dispersion. The authors found that research is heavily concentrated in high- and middle-income regions, while studies remain scarce in low-income countries. The global distribution of research effort correlates more strongly with economic capacity than with the climate risk and health burden. The findings highlight the need for more geographically representative and mechanistically detailed research, underscoring the importance of forging a more equitable and risk-informed global research agenda.