In Bangkok, Momentum Builds for Integrated Action on Climate Change and Air Pollution

• Air pollution and climate change are two of the greatest challenges facing our planet today. Dangerous short-lived climate pollutants, like black carbon and methane, are at the heart of both, and are devastating for human health and for the planet
• Air pollution 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
• The Climate and Clean Air Conference 2023 aims to accelerate action on both crises. The conference will feature daily high-level plenaries, with speakers including ministers of environment from Thailand, Mongolia, Korea, and Japan alongside the UN ESCAP Executive Secretary and the Asia Development Bank

29 May 2023—Today, the UNEP-convened Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific are kicking off a weeklong conference which aims to accelerate integrated clean air and climate action.

The Climate and Clean Air Conference 2023 (CCAC2023), happening in Bangkok, is bringing together experts and decision-makers from the Asia-Pacific and from countries around the world: government representatives, intergovernmental bodies, the finance community, civil society organizations, private sector, scientists and more. Over the next week, they will share new science and exchange knowledge on how to scale up solutions to address air pollution and its adverse impacts on public health, development, environment, and climate.

“We have the tools to address climate change and air pollution simultaneously. But we must work across siloes if we want to achieve near-term success for people and the planet,” said Martina Otto, Head of Secretariat, CCAC. “We are delighted to host the CCAC2023 alongside our colleagues from UNEP’s Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific to drive integrated action on these two crises. It’s never been a more critical time. There is almost no place on Earth where the air we breathe is safe, and as we witness the real-time impacts of climate change, we must act now, individually and together. ”

Air pollution is deadly for humans, but also for our planet. 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.

Fortunately, there is good news: cutting SLCP emissions is regarded as the fastest and most effective way to keep the world cool and prevent the worst impacts of climate change. CCAC research shows that acting to cut SLCPs 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. The CCAC2023 aims to accelerate action on SLCP emissions, helping achieve these benefits.



The Climate and Clean Air Conference 2023 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. 

These discussions will build on the surge in investments the CCAC has made into country-driven climate and clean air projects in 2022 and 2023, supporting 50 ODA-eligible country partners to build national capacity and take targeted action to reduce emissions in critical sectors. $28 million has been invested from the CCAC Trust Fund to drive innovation and support country partners since 2022, including support for nearly 30 National Methane Roadmaps to drive implementation of the Global Methane Pledge.

Learn more about the Climate and Clean Air Conference 2023 and watch the livestream here.