The contribution of short-lived climate pollutants to the Sustainable Development Goals

Goal 1: No poverty

Policies and measures to reduce short-lived climate pollutant emissions can contribute indirectly to poverty reduction by empowering people through local solutions and capacity strengthening, job creation in clean technologies, increased crop yield, and reduced economic effects of illnesses caused by air pollution.

Goal 2: Zero hunger

Mitigating short-lived climate pollutant emissions, in particular tropospheric ozone, can help prevent the loss of 52 million tonnes of four staple crops - maize, rice, soybean and wheat - and contribute to increased agricultural productivity and sustainable food production systems.

Goal 3: Good health and well-being

Reducing short-lived climate pollutants can prevent 2.4 million premature deaths each year. Diets that conform to World Health Organisation guidelines can reduce short-lived climate pollutant emissions as well as improve health.

Goal 5: Gender equality

Air pollution from cooking, heating, and lighting with biomass and fossil fuels disproportionately affects women and small children. Actions to address household air pollution reduce household fuel costs, support access to education, and provide women opportunities to generate income through local entrepreneurship.

Goal 6: Clean water and sanitation

Untreated wastewater is a significant source of methane emissions. Capturing methane by upgrading primary wastewater treatment to secondary and tertiary treatment with gas recovery and overflow control can reduce many of the impacts associated with methane emissions, while producing natural gas for energy thereby also contributing to Goal 7. Mitigating short-lived climate pollutants, in particular black carbon, can help regulate the hydrological cycle and address water availability.

Goal 7: Affordable and clean energy

The introduction of clean-burning biomass stoves for cooking and heating, and stoves using electricity generated from renewable or low carbon sources can help ensure universal access to affordable, reliable, and modern energy. Short-lived climate pollutant reduction actions can also contribute to improved energy efficiency and vice versa, thereby also reducing carbon dioxide emissions.

Goal 8: Decent work and economic growth

Many short-lived climate pollutant reduction measures promote high-efficiency technologies and practices and support the target of decoupling economic growth from environmental degradation. The replacement of traditional biomass cooking and heating stoves with more efficient alternatives can improve resource efficiency, which can reduce deforestation by reducing or eliminating biomass fuel demand. It can also lower consumer costs by reducing fuel use and emissions per unit of energy.

Goal 9: Industry, innovation and infrastructure

Short-lived climate pollutant reduction measures can contribute to upgrading infrastructure and retrofitting industries. For example, replacing traditional brick kilns and coke ovens with modern technologies, results in the adoption of a cleaner, more energy efficient, and environmentally friendly technologies in these economic sectors. Introducing low Global Warming potential alternatives to HFC can foster innovation as companies compete to produce better products.

Goal 11: Sustainable cities and communities

Measures to reduce fugitive methane emissions from the oil and gas sector, from coal mines, farms, and municipal solid waste directly contribute to Target 12.4 to achieve environmentally sound management and minimize adverse impacts on human health and the environment (Goals 2 and 3). Municipal solid waste measures, including separation and treatment of biodegradable waste, supports Target 12.5 through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse.

Goal 12: Responsible consumption and production

Many short-lived climate pollutant reduction measures have the potential to provide affordable, clean energy to deprived households for cooking and lighting purposes. Policies to reduce SLCPs through the elimination of high-emitting vehicles and soot free rapid transit public transport can foster support for safe, accessible travel in cities.

Goal 13: Climate action

Short-lived climate pollutant mitigation can help slow down the rate of global warming in the near- term. If quick action is taken to reduce CO2 emissions alongside SLCPs, there is an increased chance of keeping the global temperature increase to 2°C or less during the 21st century.

Goal 17: Partnerships for the Goals

The Coalition is the only global effort that unites governments, civil society and private sector, committed to improving air quality and protecting the climate in the next few decades through SLCP reductions. It acts as a catalyst to implement and share immediate solutions addressing near- term climate change to improve people’s lives rapidly, and to ensure sustainable development for future generations.