CCAC Annual Report 2014-2015

Over the last year the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) has cemented its position as the preeminent forum for international action on short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs). The Coalition’s latest Annual Report (September 2014 to August 2015) released today highlights the global efforts to reduce short-lived climate pollutants over the past year.

A few results from the many initiatives include:

• 14 countries with programmes for institutional strengthening on SLCPs;
• HFC inventories in 14 countries;
• Municipal solid waste assessments in 30 cities and action plans in 16;
• Improved standards for cookstoves in 4 countries and for fuels and/or vehicles in 5 countries and in the East African region;
• Black Carbon measurement methodologies for cookstoves and brick kiln technologies;
• Technology demonstrations to reduce Black Carbon in oil and gas industry in two countries;
• Practice change for integrated manure management from livestock in 6 countries, and open burning maps for countries in the Andean and Himalayan regions;
• Improved brick production in 5 countries, with a total of 671 brick operations transformed.

The purpose of the Coalition is to substantially reduce emissions of black carbon, methane and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) through being a catalyser for transformative actions, policies and regulations. The priorities are based on science, political feasibility and cost effectiveness.

CCAC Co-chair and Chile’s Vice-Minister for Environment, Marcelo Mena, said that the Coalition’s work was already having an effect around the world and in his country, but that it was important to continue to scale up and reproduce these successes into the future.

“Recent air quality episodes around the world remind us that the fight for clean air is far from over, and that we must reinforce our commitment to face both climate change and air pollution through synergistic policies that are good for our health and our climate future,” Mr Mena said. “Tackling short-lived climate pollutants is already producing results in my country. In May, 2014, Chile unveiled a strategy that focuses on 14 new pollution attainment plans in areas covering 87% of the health risk associated with air pollution. Estimates indicate that we’ve reduced premature mortality by 750 cases last year.”

Work by coalition members over the last year contributed to a resolution on Air Pollution and Health passed by the World Health Assembly, which will help provide for better data on health to support local and national air quality policies with climate links. Reducing the global consumption and emissions of hydrofluorocarbon’s (HFCs) took a step forward with an agreement to negotiate a phase down under the Montreal Protocol. The multiple benefits of acting to reduce SLCPs was also recognized as both directly and indirectly contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals. 

Helena Molin Valdés, Head of the CCAC Secretariat, pointed to the engagement of the CCAC partners and commended them on the steps they’ve taken.

"The strength of the Coalition is the strong commitment from all the Partners, in terms of both political leadership and technical contributions to make things happen,” Ms Molin Valdés said. “They are the drivers of the activities, which have led to the widespread results presented in this report."

2015 is also the year where the Coalition agreed on a strategy to increase efforts to reduce SLCPs over the next five years.

Hanne Bjurstrøm, CCAC Co-chair and Norway’s Special Envoy on Climate, said that the CCAC will work hard to reduce SLCPs in the time between the expected strong global commitment to reduce carbon dioxide in Paris this December, and when that commitment takes effect in 2020.

“Over the next five years we want to catalyse action, mobilise support, leverage finance, and enhance science and knowledge,” Ms Bjurstrøm said. “Reducing short-lived climate pollutants is a universal issue. For example, diesel emissions are a concern in all major cities. We need to engage with cities and governments to implement cost-effective measures. We can do this for all the SLCPs the CCAC is working to reduce.”

Since the last Annual Report (2013-2014) the Coalition has grown from 95 to 109 partners. New partners include three countries from the previously under represented Asian region – notably Cambodia, Lao People’s Democratic Republic and the Philippines. Participation of finance institutions was also strengthened with European Investment Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank also joining the coalition.  

The new 5-year strategic plan will be launched in the margins of the upcoming Climate Conference in Paris, COP-21, at the Coalition’s High Level Assembly.