by Daniel Brouse
June 3, 2025
Climate change is rapidly transforming the quality of the air we breathe—and its effects are neither local nor contained. As global temperatures rise, so too do the intensity and frequency of wildfires, droughts, and dust storms, with far-reaching consequences that extend across continents and oceans. Air pollution has become one of the most visible and harmful symptoms of our changing climate, and it increasingly ignores the boundaries we rely on to manage environmental threats.
This week, the United States faces a convergence of atmospheric threats that underscore the global nature of the crisis. A massive plume of Saharan dust is sweeping across the Atlantic and is expected to reach Florida, bringing hazy skies and worsening air quality across the southeastern U.S. Though common during the summer months, this year’s dust cloud is especially large and could have broad effects on respiratory health, especially for children, the elderly, and people with asthma or other preexisting conditions.
At the same time, smoke from ongoing Canadian wildfires is drifting southward toward the U.S. East Coast. Satellite maps and air quality forecasts show large swaths of smoke making their way into the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, threatening to trigger another wave of “code orange” or worse air quality alerts. Cities from Washington D.C. to New York and Boston may experience hazy skies, reduced visibility, and increased pollution levels.
The dual impact of transcontinental dust and wildfire smoke reveals a grim truth: climate change-induced air hazards are now a regular part of the atmospheric system. Wildfires in boreal forests and desertification in North Africa—once considered remote or seasonal events—are now directly impacting millions of Americans on a near-constant basis.
Air quality maps now resemble climate change threat maps: dynamic, unpredictable, and dangerously expansive. And while mitigation efforts often focus on emissions from vehicles or industry, these transboundary air events show that we are also facing a feedback loop. Hotter temperatures dry out landscapes, which fuel more fires and increase dust activity. In turn, these pollutants contribute to even more warming and exacerbate human health risks.
There is no local fix for a global problem. From the deserts of the Sahara to the forests of Alberta, climate change is linking ecosystems and weather patterns in new, often dangerous ways. It’s no longer just a matter of local environmental management—it’s a matter of international coordination, climate adaptation, and rapid decarbonization.
Until we act comprehensively and globally, the air we breathe will continue to deteriorate, crossing borders and boundaries just as fast as the climate crisis accelerates.