This July, as Britain experienced its hottest summer on record, a debate over climate science took place on the social media platform X. Richard Tice, deputy leader of the Reform party, shared an article from The Telegraph that claimed cleaner air, not carbon dioxide, was the main cause of rising temperatures. He also accused the public of being "gaslit," meaning misled or deceived. However, experts have pointed out that Tice was incorrect in suggesting carbon dioxide is not the primary driver of global warming. The science he referenced, though flawed in its interpretation, does involve real aspects of climate change—specifically, the impact of fossil fuel pollution. Fossil fuels produce two types of pollution: carbon dioxide, which traps heat and warms the planet, and sulphur pollution, which forms tiny particles that reflect sunlight and cool the Earth. Over the years, clean-air policies have reduced sulphur emissions, while carbon dioxide emissions have remained high. Scientists believe that the loss of this cooling effect may be slightly accelerating global warming. The past three years have been the warmest ever recorded, and the UK's Met Office predicts that 2027 is "very likely" to surpass 2024 as the warmest year on record. The debate over Tice’s tweet also raised questions about whether the planet is more sensitive to greenhouse gases than previously thought. While natural factors like El Niño can influence global temperatures, recent studies suggest that the rate of warming has accelerated. Researchers at ETH Zurich, including Reto Knutti, have analyzed natural variations and found that warming has indeed sped up. Another study this year reached a similar conclusion after accounting for natural influences. Sulphur dioxide from burning coal and oil forms sulphate aerosols that reflect sunlight and cool the planet. These particles also influence cloud formation, making some clouds brighter and longer-lasting. However, sulphur pollution also harms human health and causes acid rain, leading to reduced emissions in many countries. Scientists estimate that the decline in sulphate aerosols may be adding about 0.05°C to 0.1°C of warming per decade, while greenhouse gases are contributing about 0.2°C of warming globally each decade. This effect is most pronounced in regions where emissions have fallen the fastest, such as western-central Europe. However, sulphur pollution can only partially explain the recent acceleration in warming. Other factors, like changes in cloud cover and warming oceans, may also play a role. The Earth's energy imbalance—measuring the difference between absorbed sunlight and heat lost to space—has roughly tripled in the past two decades, influenced by both greenhouse gases and changes in cloud cover. Some studies suggest that warming itself can reduce cloud cover, allowing more sunlight to reach the ocean and further increase warming. Scientists caution that while these findings are concerning, they do not yet overturn previous climate projections.