Fast Action to Save the Cryosphere

Black carbon is not only a dangerous air pollutant – but also a climate accelerator, depositing on snow and ice and heating the surface. This accelerated melting impacts food and water security across glacial regions such as the Himalayas, Andes, Antarctic, and Arctic, including through crop loss, reduced productivity, flooding, droughts, and outbreaks of crop disease. It also accelerates methane releases from permafrost and ice sheet beds- creating dangerous near-term warming feedback. 

Reducing black carbon emissions from sources including industry, transportation, and open burning is therefore vital to ensuring that the lives and livelihoods of those living in cryosphere regions are protected. This event will bring together partners of the Climate and Clean Air Coalition to discuss the important opportunity to increase food security in cryosphere regions by reducing black carbon emissions, and identifying key challenges and priority areas. This event will consist of a 30-40 minute panel discussion with India and Norway, with framing by ICIMOD and opening remarks from the CCAC.