Road to Paris: Coalition's contributions to COP21

by Kristine Smukste - 31 July, 2015
France, holding the Presidency for COP21, has invited the CCAC to support the Action Agenda.

In the lead-up to the 21st Climate Conference of the Parties to UNFCCC (COP-21) in Paris (December 2015) countries are focusing on finalizing a new climate agreement through negotiations. They are submitting intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDCs) and advancing their “pre-2020 ambitions” and actions. The latter is guided by the Lima-Paris Action Agenda, which aims to convene global, national and local leaders towards accelerated climate action, and to continue engagement with the private sector and other relevant key actors. It also includes efforts to assess the impact of collaborative action toward a below-2ºC goal and communicate the benefits of climate action for economic growth and sustainable development. 

The CCAC is well-placed to contribute to increased action that will help inform the climate talks throughout 2015. To deliver on that potential, the CCAC has identified outreach opportunities to raise awareness and spread knowledge of the near-term climate mitigation potential from implementing action to reduce short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs). The CCAC Communications Group, working in collaboration with France, Peru, the UNFCCC and the UN SG Climate Office, will explore opportunities for outreach in 2015 to showcase the multiple benefits of addressing SLCPs and ensure our messages reach broader audiences and stakeholders. The goal is to scale up action toward 2020 along with critical countries and private sector entities that commit to supporting actions to reduce SLCPs and continue expansion of the CCAC partner network. The Communication Plan outlining key milestones and subsidiary events can be downloaded here.

In addition, some CCAC partner countries have already started to include, or have expressed their intention to include, SLCP action in their INDCs, which are being prepared by parties to the UNFCCC in accordance with the agreement at COP19 and the Lima Call for Climate Action at COP20. The purpose is to add near-term climate actions as a complement to, not to distract from, CO2 emission mitigation. There are no restrictions on the scope of the INDCs that would impede inclusion of SLCPs such as black carbon and tropospheric ozone. HFCs and methane are already part of the UNFCCC gases on which countries can report. The CCAC Secretariat has therefore developed a Guidance Note that is intended to provide guidance to countries by identifying specific SLCP actions and measures that may be included in their INDCs, and by offering additional information regarding such actions and measures.

Guidance Note

France, holding the Presidency for COP21, has invited the CCAC to support the Action Agenda. In this context, the CCAC is developing a special engagement package for cities that will focus on improving urban health, waste management, heavy-duty diesel transport and other sectors.The Road to Paris presents ample opportunities to increase the visibility of near-term action on SLCPs and to reap the benefits for climate, health, food security and sustainable development more broadly.

LIMA-PARIS ACTION AGENDA ANNOUNCEMENTS

The oil and gas industry is the largest man-made emitter of methane after agriculture, and methane is at least 84 times more potent as a greenhouse gas than CO2over a 20-year time horizon. However, the oil and gas sector is a unique opportunity to reduce greenhouse gases due to methane’s significant contribution to near-term global warming and the availability of widespread cost-effective control techniques.

It is estimated that, on average, about 3% of produced gas escapes as methane emissions worldwide – in addition to gas which is routinely flared. If the average leakage rate could be reduced to only 1% for half the world’s current gas production, this would result in emissions reductions of about 2.4 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) per year, or 1120 MtCO2-equivalent per year based on methane’s 100-year global warming potential.
The transportation sector contributes roughly 22% of global CO2emissions and about 19% black carbon emissions: black carbon or soot is a powerful climate forcer with significant adverse health impacts. Heavy-duty vehicles such as those used for freight transportation have a marked impact on climate and air quality, and vehicle activity is projected to grow significantly in the coming decades, particularly in emerging economies. Diesel ground freight transport alone is responsible for over 150,000 tons of black carbon per year.


HFCs are potent manmade greenhouse gases used as substitutes for ozone-depleting substances like CFCs and HCFCs being phased out under the Montreal Protocol. HFC use is growing rapidly, increasing by as much as 10-15% per year. Fast action to address high-Global Warming Potential (GWP) HFCs would also improve energy efficiency in refrigeration and air conditioning systems, reducing electricity use and CO2 emissions, along with emissions of the HFCs themselves.
Landfills are the third largest anthropogenic source of methane, accounting for approximately 11% of estimated global methane emissions, equivalent to nearly 800 megatonnes of CO2e per year and with urbanization growing faster than ever, its generation is rapidly accelerating. The waste sector is also a significant source of black carbon through open burning of uncollected or illegally landfilled waste, and transport of waste by outdated heavy-duty vehicles. In addition, uncontrolled leachate contaminates ground water and increases incidence of vector-borne diseases. Waste is therefore not only an important climate challenge, but also one that affects every aspect of life for millions of people around the world.

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