Scientists urge use of fine-scale models to predict pollution surges

Over the last two decades, the scientific community has made rapid strides in understanding climate change and air pollution—but progress on their combined effects remains limited. Traditional models often gloss over the complex web of interactions between land, sea, and sky, especially when simulating compound events like heat waves coinciding with stagnant air. These gaps are particularly troubling in densely populated coastal and urban zones, where human exposure is highest.