Climate and Clean Air Conference 2025: Daily Update – 19 March 2025

Equity, Action, and Integration: Climate Solutions That Work for Everyone

Day 2 of the 2025 Climate and Clean Air Conference has come to a close, with discussions laser-focused on implementing super pollutant solutions and translating ideas to real-world impact. The Gender Plenary made it clear that addressing super pollutants isn’t just about emissions—it’s about making sure policies are inclusive and empower women. The call was loud and clear: gender-responsive action can make a real difference in both the environment and the economy.

Meanwhile, the Sector and Science-Policy sessions emphasized that solutions need to go beyond theory. From tackling policy fragmentation to ensuring that climate and air pollution efforts align, experts stressed that action must match ambition. With a focus on integrated strategies, the One Atmosphere approach reminded everyone that we can’t afford to separate climate and air quality solutions—it's all connected. As the conference moves towards its third and final day, the focus is clear: turning these ideas into action on super pollutants that are bold, just and coordinated.  

Gender Plenary - Prioritizing Gender and Women’s Empowerment in Super Pollutant Mitigation  

The Gender Plenary focused on the urgent need to integrate gender equity into super pollutant mitigation efforts, recognizing that climate and air pollution policies must be inclusive and responsive to the needs of all communities. Martina Otto, Head of the CCAC Secretariat, opened the session by framing gender as a central consideration in climate action rather than a secondary concern. She highlighted the reality that only two percent of climate-related Official Development Assistance (ODA) is dedicated to gender equality, emphasizing the need for targeted financing and investment strategies to close this gap.  

Andria Sherstone, Director of Strategic Policy and International Affairs at Environment and Climate Change Canada, underscored Canada’s commitment to feminist climate policy. She introduced Canada’s approach to ensuring that at least 80 percent of development assistance projects integrate gender considerations. She also highlighted a new collaboration between the CCAC and Oxfam America to make super pollutant mitigation efforts more gender-responsive, reinforcing that climate and gender must go hand in hand.

Shonali Pachauri of the CCAC Scientific Advisory Panel (SAP) spoke about the importance of integrating justice, equity, and fairness into climate policy. She discussed a new framework designed to standardize how equity is discussed across mitigation efforts, and outlined the concept of “triple injustice,” in which those who contribute the least to climate change suffer the most from its impacts and have the least capacity to adapt. She noted that procedural justice—ensuring marginalized communities have a seat at the decision-making table—is as crucial as distributive justice in climate policy.

The panel discussion, moderated by Rachel Carle, Policy Advisor on Climate Justice at Oxfam, featured experts from diverse sectors, each providing insights into how gender intersects with their work. Beatriz Cardenas of the World Resources Institute discussed the gendered dimensions of transportation and air pollution exposure, noting that women rely more on public and non-motorized transport, making them disproportionately affected by poor air quality and safety risks. She stressed the need for gender-disaggregated data in transport planning to ensure equitable access to clean mobility options. Stefania Abakerli from the World Bank highlighted that gender considerations must be deeply embedded in project design and financing mechanisms. She warned against tokenistic gender mainstreaming and called for approaches that recognize the intersectionality of gender, race, and income disparities.

Stephanie Montero Bending of the Clean Air Institute spoke about the transformative potential of clean cooking solutions for women. She shared findings from a project in Guatemala that introduced electric cooking, where women gained an average of three additional hours per day due to reduced cooking time. Many invested this time in income-generating activities, demonstrating how climate solutions can simultaneously promote economic empowerment. She stressed that access to clean cooking is not a luxury but a necessity, and policies must reflect this urgency. Carlos Silva Filho of ISWA, discussed the gender dynamics within the waste management sector, a traditionally male-dominated industry. He highlighted the need to formalize the informal waste sector, where women play a key but often invisible role, and called for targeted investments that enable women-led waste management enterprises to thrive.

Ana Maria Carreno from CLASP provided insights on energy efficiency and cooling access, emphasizing that women are more vulnerable to energy poverty. She pointed out that policies promoting energy efficiency must also ensure equitable access to cooling, particularly in regions where extreme heat disproportionately affects low-income women. She called for interventions that close the energy access gap while also promoting gender equity in decision-making.

The discussion reinforced that gender equity must be a core principle in climate action. Panelists stressed that policies should not only reduce emissions but also decrease exposure to pollutants in a way that accounts for gendered impacts.  

The session concluded with remarks from Dana Crawhall-Duk, CCAC’s Gender Focal Point, who called on all Conference participants to move beyond discussions and take concrete steps to integrate gender considerations into policy and practice. She reiterated that gender-responsive action is not just about improving climate outcomes—it is about building a more just, equitable, and resilient future.

Sector Policy Plenary - Ambitious Sector Policy to Supercharge Super Pollutant Reductions

The Sector Policy Plenary focused on the critical role of ambitious sectoral policies in advancing super pollutant mitigation, highlighting how targeted policy measures can drive real-world emissions reductions. Martina Otto, Head of the CCAC Secretariat, opened the session by underscoring the importance of translating policy into action. She noted that many of the participants in the room were leading sector policy implementation efforts in their respective countries, reinforcing that while policy design is crucial, its success ultimately depends on effective implementation.  

Johan Kuylenstierna of the CCAC Scientific Advisory Panel, provided an overview of advances in sectoral policy and emphasized that policy is only one piece of the puzzle in the fight against super pollutants. He highlighted ongoing work in Ghana as an example of how integrating super pollutant mitigation into national policy can generate economic, environmental, and social benefits.

Johan shared a story from Ghana’s palm oil sector, where women working in traditional processing plants are exposed to severe air pollution from burning wood and tires for fuel. He described how a modern artisanal processing facility now uses oil palm husks as a cleaner fuel alternative, significantly reducing air pollution while producing higher-quality palm oil with lower methane emissions. This transition, he noted, is the result of years of integrating super pollutant reduction into national planning. The improved processing plant is part of Ghana’s national SLCP strategy and its Nationally Determined Contributions, demonstrating how targeted sectoral interventions can simultaneously improve livelihoods, reduce emissions, and support economic growth. He further explained that funding for these improvements was secured through Article 6 carbon credit mechanisms, with investment de-risked by Ghana’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance.  

The panel discussion, moderated by Martina Otto, featured a diverse group of speakers who shared insights on how sector-specific policies can accelerate super pollutant reductions. Bruno Brasil, Director of the Department of Sustainable Production and Irrigation at Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture, emphasized the importance of balancing environmental goals with economic realities. He explained that for climate policies to succeed, they must align with farmers’ priorities and provide economic incentives to encourage adoption of best practices. He highlighted Brazil’s efforts to integrate climate-smart agriculture policies that ensure farmers can maintain productivity while reducing emissions.

Nkiruka Maduekwe, Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Change and Director General of Nigeria’s National Council on Climate Change Secretariat, shared Nigeria’s experience in coordinating sector-wide mitigation strategies. She described how the country’s methane technical working group brings together key ministries—such as agriculture and energy—to align strategies for emissions reductions. She stressed that broadening participation to include subnational governments and the health sector would strengthen Nigeria’s mitigation framework, ensuring that methane reductions are integrated across multiple sectors.

Chandath Him, Acting Director of Water Quality Management and Deputy Director of Air Quality at Cambodia’s Ministry of Environment, spoke about the cross-sectoral nature of environmental challenges. He described how Cambodia has recruited over 1,500 agricultural officers to provide technical assistance in the field, including guidance on best practices for reducing open burning and improving air quality. He emphasized the importance of inter-ministerial coordination, particularly between the ministries of health, agriculture, and environment, to create a unified approach to emissions reductions.

Camila Margarita Labarca Wyneken, Head of the Mitigation and Transparency Department at Chile’s Ministry of Environment, discussed how Chile has restructured its approach to climate governance by embedding mitigation responsibilities across all ministries. She explained that Chile’s climate change law ensures that each ministry—not just the Ministry of Environment—is accountable for both mitigation and adaptation efforts. This structural change has strengthened policy implementation by making climate action a government-wide priority rather than a siloed environmental issue.

Makoto Kato, General Manager at the Overseas Environmental Cooperation Center in Japan, highlighted the role of finance in scaling up sectoral policies. He noted that while financing remains a major challenge, structured investments can help catalyze private sector participation. He emphasized the need for regulatory frameworks that create stable markets for climate-friendly technologies, ensuring that policies translate into tangible investment opportunities.

The session concluded with reflections on the importance of innovation, regulatory capacity, and whole-of-government approaches. Panelists agreed that sectoral policies must go beyond regulation to include incentives, behavioral change strategies, and strong private sector engagement. Martina Otto closed the discussion by reiterating that while policy is the foundation, its effectiveness depends on proper implementation, financing, and multi-sector collaboration, and urged participants to take lessons from the session and translate them into actionable strategies within their respective countries.

Science-Policy Plenary – Dialogue: A “One Atmosphere” Approach  

The Science-Policy Dialogue Plenary brought together leading experts and policymakers to discuss the necessity of adopting a "One Atmosphere" approach (One Atmosphere approach) in climate and air quality policy. The session emphasized the interconnectedness of climate change and air pollution and the urgent need to address these issues holistically to maximize benefits for both environmental and human health.

Kenza Khomsi, CCAC Scientific Advisory Panel (SAP) member, opened and emceed the session, setting the stage for discussions on how an integrated approach to air pollution and climate governance can enhance cost-effectiveness, public health, and emissions reductions. Drew Shindell, Chair of the CCAC Scientific Advisory Panel, provided opening remarks on the scientific rationale for the One Atmosphere approach. He underscored the complexity of the relationship between climate change and air quality, explaining that pollutants cannot be tackled in isolation, as they interact through various feedback mechanisms that can either amplify or mitigate their individual effects. Shindell highlighted the significant contributions of CCAC’s scientific assessments and science-policy dialogues in integrating air quality and climate change mitigation with broader development goals. He pointed to the success of the African assessment in demonstrating how addressing air pollution and climate mitigation simultaneously can deliver political traction, align with regional priorities such as Agenda 2063, and facilitate access to finance. He also emphasized the importance of recent research, such as the N2O assessment, which reveals the trade-offs of different pollutants, as well as future studies, including the Integrated Agriculture and Food Systems Assessment and the Integrated Economic Assessment of Climate and Clean Air, both of which will further the economic case for coordinated action under the One Atmosphere approach.

Charlotte Unger, Research Associate at the Research Institute for Sustainability (RIFS), followed by identifying key challenges in implementing the One Atmosphere approach. She noted that growing global pressures and increasingly complex climate mitigation negotiations make it difficult for policymakers to navigate integrated approaches. Fragmentation within governments, where different ministries handle budgeting, monitoring, and reporting separately, further hinders coordination. Additionally, she highlighted the gap between the scientific modeling community and political decision-making, as governments often rely on a small number of familiar scientists rather than broad engagement. To overcome these obstacles, Unger stressed the need for a more holistic vision that aligns stakeholders, integrates social science perspectives, and fosters collaboration across sectors. She advocated for interagency task forces, staff rotations, and standardized assessment methods like LEAP IBC to facilitate integrated policymaking. She pointed to Chile and Ghana as examples where such integration has been successfully implemented and underscored the importance of social science in addressing public concerns and opposition to climate policies.

Nathan Borgford-Parnell, Science Affairs Coordinator at the CCAC Secretariat, provided insights into barriers to implementing the One Atmosphere approach, detailing an ongoing effort to analyze and address obstacles to integrating short-lived climate pollutant (SLCP) reductions into policymaking. He outlined a methodology that assesses technological, economic, institutional, and social barriers through surveys of policymakers and experts. Findings from an audience survey highlighted institutional coordination as a significant challenge, with issues including the underestimation of time and resources required for coordination, fragmented data inventories, inconsistent legislation, and funding allocation biases that favor climate change over air quality. Moreover, a disconnect between national and subnational governments and various ministries was identified as a critical factor slowing progress. Methane and black carbon emerged as particularly challenging pollutants due to their cross-sectoral nature and regulatory inconsistencies.

Young Sunwoo, President of the International Union of Air Pollution Prevention and Environmental Protection Associations (IUAPPA), introduced the One Health Approach, emphasizing the need to integrate SLCPs into air pollution and health discussions. He explained that while One Health traditionally focuses on the interaction between human, animal, and environmental health, it should also encompass air pollution and its impacts on ecosystems. He noted that discussions on air pollution have evolved from focusing on emissions to concentrations and, finally, to their direct health impacts. He emphasized that tropospheric ozone, responsible for 0.23°C of warming, remains an overlooked SLCP. He warned that because ozone is a secondary pollutant with a nonlinear formation process, traditional air pollution policies can sometimes inadvertently worsen ozone levels. He cited South Korea’s experience, where despite successful reductions in PM2.5 levels, ozone pollution has continued to rise due to an insufficiently integrated policy approach. He called for policies that account for these complexities and emphasized the need for long-term consistency in government strategies.

In the panel discussion, Drew Shindell highlighted the challenge of fragmented government structures and pointed to Brazil’s cross-cutting institutional team as an example of how to improve coordination. He called on policymakers to clearly articulate the specific information they require from scientists, noting that scientific studies are most useful when they directly address policymakers’ priorities, such as the economic and health costs of air pollution. Charlotte Unger emphasized the importance of local context in policy design, recommending that governments improve data availability, develop clear narratives to communicate benefits transparently, and engage stakeholders to build long-term political support. Young Sunwoo addressed the perceived trade-off between health and economic growth, urging efforts to educate the public and increase expectations for stronger environmental policies.

José Abraham Ortinez Alvarez, representing the Government of Mexico, shared Mexico’s experience in enhancing air quality data and assessment capacity, noting that CCAC’s partnerships have been instrumental in raising awareness of super pollutants and integrating new scientific findings into policy. He pointed out that rapid staff turnover in government agencies poses a challenge to long-term policy continuity. He also stressed the need to make scientific information more accessible to policymakers and the public, ensuring that air quality and climate data can be effectively utilized.

Anna Maria Gran, representing the Government of Denmark, detailed Denmark’s approach to integrating climate and air quality policies through taxation of agricultural emissions. She explained how Denmark’s climate law, which mandates net-zero emissions by 2050 and a 70% reduction in GHGs by 2030, necessitates significant reductions in agricultural emissions. The government established a multistakeholder consultation process, involving representatives from ministries of environment, climate, food, finance, and economy, alongside farmer groups and environmental NGOs. This process led to the introduction of a livestock tax, which primarily targets methane emissions while providing incentives for nitrogen reduction and peatland restoration. Gran emphasized the importance of a common narrative to align different stakeholders and ensure policy buy-in, highlighting Denmark’s success in securing broad parliamentary support for the initiative.

Johan Kuylenstierna, Senior Advisor at the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI), stressed the need for simplified messaging when engaging policymakers on the One Atmosphere approach. He noted that while tropospheric ozone and SLCP interactions are scientifically complex, policymakers are more interested in tangible outcomes such as health improvements, agricultural productivity, and economic benefits. He advocated for presenting policymakers with clear actions and measurable benefits, avoiding overly technical discussions that can hinder policy adoption.

Claire Henly, Executive Director at Super Pollutant Field Catalyst, reinforced the importance of continuity in science-policy collaboration despite political shifts. She praised the CCAC’s ability to sustain scientific engagement over time, enabling policymakers to act when political windows of opportunity arise. She also emphasized the role of philanthropy in supporting integrated climate and air quality initiatives, noting that increased engagement with donors can strengthen funding for these efforts.

The plenary concluded with a call to action for stronger integration of scientific evidence into policy, enhanced institutional coordination, and continued dialogue between scientists, policymakers, and stakeholders to advance the One Atmosphere Approach.