Global Leaders Unite in London to Accelerate Action on Super Pollutants Ahead of COP31

London, 24 June 2026 – Political leaders, ministers, financial institutions, philanthropies, scientists, businesses, and civil society convened today at St. James’s Palace during London Climate Action Week 2026 for a high-level event on Super Pollutants hosted by the United Kingdom and attended by His Majesty King Charles III, UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Prime Minister of Barbados the Hon Mia Mottley, the President of Palau Hon. Surangel Samuel Whipps Jr, and COP31 President and Turkiye’s Minister of Environment the Hon. Murat Kurum.

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The convening comes at a moment of growing recognition that amid competing priorities and constrained budgets, investments that strengthen energy security, support economic resilience, improve public health, and deliver measurable returns are commanding increasing attention.

It also follows a renewed call to action on methane by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres earlier this week, urging governments, industry, and financial institutions to move faster on one of the most immediate opportunities available to slow warming while protecting people and economies from growing climate impacts.

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Building on momentum from previous high-level convenings at COP28, COP29, and COP30, leaders gathered in London to elevate super pollutants, including methane, black carbon, hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), tropospheric ozone, and nitrous oxide, as a central pillar of implementation on the road to COP31.

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Super pollutants are responsible for approximately half of current warming, but their relevance extends far beyond climate alone. These pollutants worsen air pollution, increase healthcare costs, reduce agricultural productivity, create energy losses, and undermine economic resilience. Fast action to reduce them represents one of the clearest opportunities available to strengthen energy security, improve public health, protect food systems, and support economic growth while slowing near-term warming.

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Participants highlighted that super pollutants remain among the most underfunded opportunities in climate and development finance despite the availability of practical solutions that can be deployed rapidly and, in many cases, at low or even negative cost.

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Across energy, waste, agriculture, cooling, transport, and household energy systems, participants showcased practical solutions that are available today and capable of delivering measurable benefits within this decade. Discussions focused on accelerating implementation, scaling finance, strengthening enabling policy environments, and improving coordination across sectors that have not traditionally worked together.

The discussions also reflected the growing role of super pollutants within the emerging COP31 Action Agenda and reinforced growing recognition that implementation challenges are no longer primarily technical, but increasingly related to finance, coordination, and political leadership.

The road to COP31 will also be shaped by the forthcoming UNEP-CCAC Global Economic Assessment of Climate and Clean Air, to be released in September 2026, which will provide one of the most comprehensive assessments to date of the economic benefits of integrated climate and clean air action. The Assessment is expected to demonstrate that rapid action on methane and other super pollutants can generate significant economic returns through improved health, higher productivity, stronger energy efficiency, more resilient food systems, and avoided climate damages.

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With 2030 fast approaching, leaders stressed that the challenge is no longer whether solutions exist, but whether implementation, finance, and political leadership can move at the speed and scale required. Solutions already exist across energy, waste, agriculture, cooling, transport, and household energy systems. Many can be deployed rapidly, many deliver immediate returns, and many are already cost-effective.

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Leaders emphasized that deep decarbonisation and accelerated action on super pollutants are complementary, not competing priorities. Faster action on super pollutants can reduce warming quickly while improving air quality, strengthening food systems, protecting public health, increasing energy security, and supporting more resilient economies and communities.

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It is action that pays off now.