On the Ground in Belém: Turning Super Pollutant Ambition into Action by Martina Otto, Head of Secretariat, Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) - 7 November, 2025 Share SHARE Facebook share Twitter LinkedIn Copy URL Email Print Breadcrumb Home News and Announcements On The Ground In Belém: Turning Super Pollutant Ambition Into Action Image "What happens on stage is only the tip of the iceberg.”That thought has been with me throughout these first days in Brazil. A couple of days ago, I was at the C40 World Mayors Summit, surrounded by local leaders who talk about climate in actions, because their citizens can see, every day, whether waste is collected, whether the air is cleaner, and subsequently whether jobs are being created.Yesterday and today, in Belém at the COP 30 World Leaders’ Summit, that same thread runs through the conversations: acting on methane and other super pollutants, black carbon, HFCs, tropospheric ozone, and nitrous oxide, is now firmly on the global agenda.Conversations in Rio had a hopeful tone. Listening to mayors from Accra, Ekurhuleni, Helsinki and others describe how they are cutting methane from waste while creating decent jobs reminds me that we already have the solutions we need. Brazil’s leadership on waste, and its partnership with cities, shows how national and subnational governments can work hand in hand. These are not conceptual wins; they are visible results people can feel. The challenge is no longer what to do, but how fast we can scale what already works. Belém is where that scaling conversation becomes political. Leaders, including Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley and France’s President Macron, have called here for a coalition of the willing on methane, because cutting methane can avoid roughly 0.3°C of warming by 2050. And if we act on all super pollutants together, that number rises 0.6°C. Those fractions of a degree may sound small, but they represent the difference between drifting past 1.5°C and steering back toward it. Science has told us that for years, and indeed, now presidents, prime ministers, ministers and mayors are saying it together.Still, what happens on stage, the plenaries, the photos, is only the visible part. The real work is happening in the corridors: countries aligning on a fossil fuel methane declaration, partners coordinating around the Global Methane Pledge, cities and national governments comparing waste programmes, philanthropies and banks asking how their support can unlock faster action.This is a space that gave birth to the Climate and Clean Air Coalition. We were founded in 2012 by six countries and UNEP, rooted in science that showed fast action on these pollutants could deliver immediate climate, health and development benefits. What we’re seeing in Belém is that idea becoming mainstream. The next two weeks will test whether we can turn that momentum into a true delivery track. Across COP30, you’ll find the Coalition and our partners everywhere. A dedicated Super Pollutant Pavilion, co-hosted by the Global Methane Hub, Clean Air Fund, Super Pollutant Action Alliance, and the CCAC, will host super-pollutant programming throughout the Conference, in addition to numerous official UNFCCC side events on waste, agriculture, and fossil fuels, and the COp30 Presidency’s Action Agenda events to which we contributed in putting forward acceleration plans.Mid-way through COP, at the Global Methane Pledge Ministerial on November 17, the CCAC will release the Global Methane Status Report (GMSR) - the clearest picture yet of global progress. The report shows encouraging signs: emissions are still rising, but the outlook is improving as new national policies and sectoral regulations start to take hold. If fully implemented, current actions could deliver the largest sustained decline in methane emissions in history - an 8% cut by 2030 compared to 2020 levels. But indeed, achieving the Pledge’s 30% reduction target will require full deployment of the cost-effective measures already available across energy, agriculture, and waste. Image That urgency is why we will be launching a new Super Pollutant Country Action Accelerator here in Belém, to help countries turn ambition into implementation. Inspired by the successful implementation architecture of the Montreal Protocol, it will connect policy, finance, and technical expertise to help governments move from commitment to measurable reduction. A cooperative mechanism that rewards ambition and delivers impact.The agricultural agenda is also taking a major leap forward. The CCAC Farmers FIRST Agriculture Flagship, launching under the FAST Partnership on 19 November, will help countries and producers tackle methane and nitrous oxide from livestock, rice and fertilizers, while improving productivity and resilience. It’s a concrete example of how we can meet food security and climate goals together. Image And throughout, as always, we’ll be deepening the coalition. From now through the close of COP30, our focus is clear: keep building this coalition of the willing and ensure that action on super pollutants becomes a cornerstone of global climate delivery.When I look at this COP, I don’t see a list of side events, even if there are many. I see a through-line from Rio to Belém: cities proving what’s possible, national governments picking it up, and a partnership designed to make it travel faster.Stay tuned for updates from the CCAC Secretariat throughout COP30 - we’ll be sharing highlights and insights from across the super pollutant agenda. Follow along for more COP30 updates event CCAC at COP30 10 November, 2025 - 21 November, 2025 08:00 - 17:00 (Sao Paulo)