Historical perspective and future outlook

Publisher Summary This chapter outlines the historical perspective and future outlook related to atmospheric pollution. Substantial progress on atmospheric pollution research in recent decades has brought the current understanding of the broad aspects of the problems ranging from the street canyon to global-scale atmospheric chemistry and physics and from fine particles to greenhouse gas radiative forcing and the interactions between them all. The chapter describes the formation of fine particulates/secondary aerosols as a result of tropospheric oxidant formation and oxidation of acidifying compounds, the role of these secondary aerosols in both climate change, and their effects on health. The interactions between stratospheric temperature (climate) changes and ozone depletion by chlorine, bromine, and fluorine compounds and the role of polar stratospheric clouds are illustrated in the chapter. The production of ozone in the troposphere in relation to radiative (climate) forcing is also discussed in the chapter.