2020: A year of change and future possibilities for the Coalition

The Climate and Clean Air Coalition’s partners have worked hard to deliver results over the last year, despite the global pandemic that is still disrupting lives and changing how we work, live and thrive. I am grateful and humbled by the wealth of results from the work undertaken or triggered by our Coalition.

We still have much to do. Over the next decade the world must make significant progress to slow the climate crisis, reduce air pollution, and address inequalities that threaten the most vulnerable. We must do so while combatting the current pandemic and increasing our resilience to future outbreaks.  By 2030 we must realize the emissions reductions this Coalition was designed to deliver. By doing so we can protect millions of lives, help deliver global sustainable development goals, and keep warming to well below 2˚C.

The Coalition is rising to meet the challenge. Over the last year partners have worked with new and invigorated energy to develop our 2030 Strategy. It builds on our strengths of close cooperation, policy relevant science, pragmatism, and a commitment to helping all partners achieve national priorities in ways that strengthen global goals.

We will drive an ambitious agenda that fosters leadership and works closely with decision makers in key sectors and government in venues that have the greatest potential to reduce emissions from short-lived climate pollutants. We will continue to promote action on near-term climate and air pollution with integrated solutions that produce multiple economic and social benefits.

The last year has been a difficult one. COVID-19 has meant new ways of working and interacting with each other. The pandemic is impacting lives and economies around the world. It has also shown us that solidarity, making decisions based on science, and cooperation and coordination at all levels of government and community is necessary to overcome big problems. As we adopt our 2030 Strategy unprecedented economic recovery and stimulus programs are being designed or implemented across the globe. These must contribute to, and increase our efforts, to reduce or eliminate emissions of methane, black carbon, tropospheric ozone and HFCs. We can do this by building on our vibrant partnership, experts, and initiatives.

I will retire from the United Nations in May 2021. Based on what we have achieved so far, I am confident that the amazing partners in the Coalition will thrive. We have achieved much over the last eight years thanks to the generous funding and collective action of all partners in the Coalition. It has been a privilege to support your hard work and grow together.

Together we have increased the science rationale for action, proved technological and social solutions, and developed holistic and integrated policies that protect lives, livelihoods, and the planet through measures that reduce black carbon, methane, tropospheric ozone and HFCs. We have catalysed real change and added a new approach to the challenge of air pollution and climate change. We have shown what is possible.

Our work has helped put air pollution high on national and global agendas. Our partnership and leaders played an important role in the adoption of the Kigali Amendment of the Montreal Protocol. This will see almost all hydrofluorocarbons phased out by 2050 – we continue to push for a faster rate. Our work to reduce methane from oil and gas has served as a base for the creation of an International Methane Emissions Observatory by the European Commission and UNEP. The support we have provided to countries on national planning has led to integrated climate and clean air policies, strategies, and enhanced Nationally Determined Contributions.

I am proud of all we have achieved and thank the CCAC Secretariat team, the co-chairs past and present, and all our committed partners and actors for their hard work and dedication. This is a “Coalition of the working” (not only the willing) and one that cares about people and the planet. By going forward with the same level of commitment, resources, cooperation and hard work I have seen during my time here, I know we will be successful. 

The CCAC Co-chairs' 2019 - 2020 Annual Report message can be found here.