The trail of clues that our planet might be heating faster than we realised

A row broke out on social media over the cause of heatwaves, with some attributing it to cleaner air rather than carbon dioxide

• A debate on climate science emerged during Britain's hot summer.
• Some attributed heatwaves to cleaner air, not carbon dioxide.
• This claim is incorrect, but the science is complex.
• Carbon dioxide is the primary driver of global warming.
• The online row highlights a shift in climate science understanding.

The claim that cleaner air is the primary driver of global warming is incorrect, but the underlying science is real and complex