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National planning and policy development

Developing policies that integrate climate and clean air objectives helps countries maximize the benefits of reducing near-term warming while simultaneously realizing immediate, local benefits for public health and wellbeing.

Integrated policies also contribute to achieving the Paris Agreement climate targets and supporting the attainment of many Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).  

The CCAC helps countries develop national plans that integrate climate and clean air objectives through actions to reduce short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs). To date, 15 countries have endorsed national SLCP plans. The full list of national plans can be found on our policy database. 

Our support to countries follows an approach that provides structure to the national planning process, while remaining flexible enough to accommodate the unique context and challenges in each country.  

We are currently accepting new requests for support. If you are interested in receiving CCAC policy and planning support in your country, read below to learn more about our process and contact us to get started. 

Examples of country action

Our process

1. Preparing the foundation   

Teams from the CCAC and the national government conduct an initial analysis of the climate and air quality scenario in the country, as well as of existing policies, plans and strategies. Establishing baseline data and emissions inventories are important steps of this stage. The data collected enables identification of financing opportunities, new opportunities for SLCP mitigation and approaches for integrating climate and air quality actions into existing policy frameworks.   

Depending on the country context, the CCAC can support the establishment of a coordinating group to lead the planning process and determine roles and responsibilities within the government.   

The milestone outcomes of this phase of cooperation can include:  

  • Emissions and climate and air quality policy inventories  
  • Priority measures for sources and sectors  
  • Governance and institutional analysis  
  • Stakeholder and implementer mapping  

2. Preparing the national planning process  

CCAC support for national planning processes aims to enhance a government’s own capacity to: develop regularly updated nationally endorsed emission inventories; evaluate possible mitigation actions and their costs; quantify the benefits of implementing SLCP actions (health; food security; socio-economic benefits); and develop detailed implementation pathways for mitigation options.  

Establishing a baseline national plan includes using modelling tools to project various future emissions scenarios and calculate their related benefits. The coordination group will then use the findings of these projections to engage stakeholders and identify implementation pathways and mitigation measures which maximize health, environmental, and development benefits while achieving the greatest SLCP reductions.  

Alongside this process, the CCAC will support the national government to create awareness materials and a communication strategy to raise awareness about the benefits of reducing SLCPs. This helps increase public and political support, attract financial support, and reduce barriers to implementation.  

The CCAC has four main approaches for ensuring SLCP mitigation measures are integrated into national climate plans and policies. One or a combination of these approaches may be used in a country depending on the local context.

1: Creating a foundation for SLCP mitigation via short-term measures

Activities include raising public awareness, promoting the benefits of SLCP mitigation measures within the government, and adding SLCP actions to existing regulations and policies to deliver quick results. If the government is in the process of developing a long-term mitigation strategy, the CCAC can support institutional capacity and readiness to ensure that SLCP actions are included.

2: Building capacity to continuously address SLCP mitigation

The CCAC supports workshops and training to build government capacity to consider SLCP mitigation actions in day-to-day decision making. This approach aims to enable actors at all levels to address SLCP problems as they arise, equipping them with knowledge of SLCP mitigation options and a process for identifying policies, the barriers to implementation, and measures to overcome these barriers.  

3: Developing a long-term national action plan to reduce SLCPs

The CCAC provides the government with comprehensive guidance and long-term policy and planning support to develop a National Action Plan to reduce SLCPs. If the country does not already have a regulatory framework for climate change and air pollution, the plan sets the foundation for developing an integrated approach to climate change and air quality policymaking. The plan can also complement and eventually enhance existing frameworks by encouraging collaboration between ministries, identifying activities that address both climate change and air pollution, and outlining a flexible process that advocates for additional action on climate change and air pollution.   

4: Embedding SLCP mitigation measures within existing climate plans

The CCAC can also support activities such as SLCP mitigation assessments and evaluating emission reduction potentials in relevant sectors. This work aims to demonstrate the importance of SLCP mitigation to existing national processes, obtain high-level support, and ensure that SLCPs are recognised in sectoral plans. This approach is best suited to countries that have extensive climate change and air pollution mitigation measures, such as an NDC or long-term climate strategy.  

3. Obtaining political support  

Once an approach or workplan has been established, communications strategies are implemented to raise high-level political awareness for the importance and benefits of SCLP actions. Cohesive political support helps ensure implementation of planned activities over sustained periods.   

The milestone outcome of this phase of cooperation is:  

  • Political support received from the government  

4. Implementation 

In this phase the coordinating group ensures that there is adequate technical, financial and institutional support to implement the identified mitigation activities and engage targeted sectors. 

Implementation activities may include developing monitoring and evaluation system frameworks, mobilizing financial mechanisms, providing training and workshops and coordinating the integration of SLCP and air quality measures within existing policy frameworks.   

The milestone outcomes of this phase of cooperation are:  

  • Deployment of policies and regulations to achieve emissions reductions