Climate and Clean Air Conference 2023

Air pollution and climate change are two of the greatest challenges facing our planet today, and they are deeply interconnected. These two crises share common sources: dangerous air pollutants, like black carbon and methane, which are devastating for human health and for the planet.

Air pollution is the greatest environmental threat to human health: it is responsible for about 7 million deaths each year globally, and this number is rising. In Asia and the Pacific region alone, 4 million people die prematurely from air pollution each year, while 4 billion people are exposed to unhealthy levels of air pollution.

But air pollution does not just harm people. Short-lived climate pollutants, or SLCPs – are responsible for up to 45% of global warming today, contributing to rising sea levels and more frequent and extreme climatic events like droughts, fires, and storms. These pollutants are tens to thousands of times more powerful than carbon dioxide at warming the planet.

We cannot clean up our air without working to clean our planet, nor can we tackle climate change without simultaneously addressing air pollution.

Fortunately, there is good news: cutting SLCP emissions is regarded as the fastest and most effective way to keep us under 1.5°C. Acting on black carbon and methane in key sectors could reduce projected global warming by 0.5°C by 2050, avoid millions of premature deaths from air pollution annually, prevent millions of tonnes of annual crop losses, and increase energy efficiency, among other additional benefits for human and planetary wellbeing.

This year, the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) will host its annual meeting, the Climate and Clean Air Conference, in collaboration with UNEP’s Air Quality Action Week. Together, with dozens of partners, the CCAC and UNEP will bring together experts and government representatives and decision-makers, intergovernmental bodies, donors, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders from the Asia-Pacific region and beyond to identify new opportunities, develop capacities and facilitate cooperation and knowledge exchange to address air pollution and its adverse impacts on public health, development, environment, and climate.

About the Climate and Clean Air Conference 2023

The Climate and Clean Air Conference will feature latest insights, new progress and proven solutions in addressing air pollution and its impacts on climate change and will include sessions that promote:

• Integrated planning and multi-stakeholder cooperation;
• Stories of success and priorities for clean air at cities, national and regional levels, including inter-governmental leadership;
• Scientific underpinnings and best practices to support policy, promote pollution-free economy and increase stakeholder awareness; and
• Technological and industrial solutions for air quality management. 

About the Climate and Clean Air Coalition

The Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) is the only global partnership dedicated to cutting short-lived climate pollutants to stabilize the climate, limit warming to 1.5°C, and drastically reduce air pollution. The CCAC brings together 75 state partners representing 50% of global SLCP emissions alongside intergovernmental organizations, businesses, scientific institutions, and civil-society organizations committed to protecting the climate and improving air quality through actions to reduce SLCPs. The Coalition’s Secretariat is hosted by the United Nations Environment Programme.

About UN Environment Programme’s Asia and the Pacific Office

UNEP is the leading global voice on the environment. It provides leadership and encourages partnership in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing and enabling nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations.

UNEP’s Asia and the Pacific Office works to promote a green and just transition that delivers inclusive solutions to address the triple planetary crisis of climate change, nature and biodiversity loss, and pollution and waste.

Registration

Join the sessions in-person or follow key sessions online by registering here.

Venue

United Nations Conference Centre (UNCC)
United Nations Building
Rajdamnern Nok Avenue, Phra Nakhon
Bangkok 10200

Information Note

You can access the logistics note here.

Contact Information

For more information, please contact secretariat [at] ccacoalition.org (secretariat[at]ccacoalition[dot]org).