CCAC Newsletter July 2024 Subscribe Share SHARE Facebook share Twitter LinkedIn Copy URL Email Breadcrumb Home Newsletter CCAC Newsletter July 2024 Content We are pleased to share with you the latest news from the Partnership, as well as information on opportunities for engagement and support. The northern hemisphere fire season has begun, and the UN Secretary General has issued an an urgent call to action on extreme heat after the planet set a record for its hottest days ever. Extreme heat and the wildfires that result from it also contribute to worsening the cycle of warming. Our latest infographic illustrates the dangerous cyclical impacts of wildfires and how indigenous land management can mitigate extreme wildfires and reduce emissions. Image Upcoming Events Image 12 August- 9 October: NDCs 3.0 Regional ForaThe NDCs 3.0 Regional Fora will be a place for government ministries to discuss in detail how to develop and implement ambitious Climate Plans or Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).Delivering as One, the UN will organize the Fora by United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the NDC Partnership, in collaboration with the UNFCCC Secretariat (UN Climate Change), the UNEP-convened Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC), the United Nations REDD programme, and the German Development Cooperation (GIZ), as well as regional partners including the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), and the United Nations Economic, Social Commission for West Asia (ESCWA) and the Asian Development Bank. We will delve into the crucial aspects of enhancing national climate commitments. This event will explore how the outcomes of the Global Stocktake (GST) adopted during COP28 can drive increased ambition in the next generation of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs 3.0). We will identify and discuss potential challenges and opportunities in integrating GST outcomes into the preparation of the 2025 NDCs, drawing on lessons learned from the first generation. Additionally, we'll showcase how countries can expand their NDC targets to include comprehensive or sector-specific emission reductions in areas like energy efficiency, construction, transport, agriculture, and renewable energy, along with actions on methane and other short-lived non-CO2 pollutants.The schedule for the NDCs 3.0 Regional Fora taking place in 2024 has been set as follows: Regional Forum for the Pacific, from 12 to 16 August 2024 hosted by the government of Samoa in Apia.Regional Forum for Latin America and the Caribbean, from 27 to 29 August 2024 hosted by the government of Colombia in Bogota. Regional for Eastern Europe and Central Asia, from 3 to 5 September hosted by the government of Türkiye in Istanbul. Regional Forum for the Middle East and North Africa, from 23 to 25 September 2024 hosted by the government of Tunisia in Tunis. Regional Forum for Asia, from 30 September to 2 October in Bangkok, Thailand. Regional Forum for Africa, from 7 to 9 October 2024 hosted by the government of Rwanda in Kigali. More information here. Image 5 August: Let’s talk Biogas Webinar SeriesThe PREVENT Organic Waste Working Group and Climate & Clean Air Coalition will co-host the Let’s talk #Biogas webinar series jointly with Umweltbundesamt - German Environment Agency and Chambers for GreenTech!The first session will provide a general overview on the potential, challenges as well as the opportunities of biogas.Join webinar here. 27-28 August: Group Seminar for Asian Countries on Fluorocarbons Life Cycle Management 2024This year, the Group Seminar will be co-organised by the MOEJ, the ADB, and the CCAC shedding a light on recent updates of international discussion, such as MOP Decision XXXV/11 on life cycle refrigerant management (LRM) under the Montreal Protocol, as well as needs for updating Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) and the Enhanced Transparency Framework (ETF) under the Paris Agreement, and corresponding discussion topics of accessibility of relevant technologies, effective domestic policy framework, and utilisation of carbon market mechanisms.More information here. Image 5 September: Celebration of Clean Air Day 2024 in North AmericaThe Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and the World Resources Institute (WRI) have partnered to commemorate the International Day of Clean Air for blue skies in North America on Thursday, September 5th, 2024, to raise awareness of the urgency of boosting national action as well as regional and international collaboration to improve air quality.More information here. 12-25 September: Training on Seamless Prediction of Air Pollution in Africa A comprehensive training school on air quality prediction and forecasting for African applications is being organised under the auspicious of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). The event will be held considering online and in-person sessions. Online sessions will be organised on 12-25 September 2024.These online webinars aim to introduce the participants to basic concepts of air quality processes, modelling, observations and applications. In-person training will be held at the Egyptian Meteorological Authority (EMA), Cairo, from 1 to 4 of October 2024. More information here. Image 23 September: Climate and Clean Air Ministerial- By Invitation Only-This year’s Ministerial will call for increased ambition towards reducing super pollutants, building towards a focus on super pollutants at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan. A key topic of discussion will be on methods and policies to reduce super pollutants being included in the upcoming NDCs 3.0, and highlighting progress made on key initiatives over the past year, including Africa Clean Air Programme, the Methane Roadmap Action Programme (M-RAP), and the Air Quality Management Program (AQMx). It will also spotlight opportunities for partners to engage in the CCAC’s work over the next years. Image 23-24 September: Climate Week NYC – The Hub Live Open session on MethaneThe Hub Live will convene three flagship sessions during which global leaders will delve deep into the action and innovation that are needed to speed up climate action, ignite progress and accelerate action. In-person attendance is invite-only, but will be live-streamed for all. For more information click here. News and Updates Image United Nations Secretary-General’s Call to Action on Extreme Heat Crippling heat is everywhere. Billions of people around the world are wilting under increasingly severe heatwaves driven largely by a fossil-fuel charged, human-induced climate crisis. More than 70 per cent of the global workforce – 2.4 billion people – are now at high risk of extreme heat. The most vulnerable communities are hit hardest.In response to the rapid rise in the scale, intensity, frequency and duration of extreme heat, UN Secretary-General António Guterres on 25 July 2024 called for an urgent and concerted effort to enhance international cooperation to address extreme heat in four critical areas:Caring for the vulnerable - Protecting workers - Boosting resilience of economies and societies using data and science - Limiting temperature rise to 1.5°C by phasing out fossil fuels and scaling up investment in renewable energy.Read more here. Image Heat Waves and Wildfires Give Urgency to the Fight to Cut MethaneFocusing on methane is a no-brainer. It’s not only necessary but also good for our health, planet, and wallet.While the energy industry is increasing its attention to methane, the world’s success in methane mitigation in the food and waste sectors remains limited, mainly due to the lack of financial resources and the large number of stakeholders involved. Yet, through responsible consumption, reduced food waste, and healthier diets, we can collectively play a major role in the fight against methane and climate change.The heat is on. Before it’s too late, we must rise to stop the rising levels of methane. COP 29, the upcoming UN climate change conference in Azerbaijan, presents a significant opportunity for countries worldwide to step up, work together, and invest in deploying the available solutions to accelerate the urgent fight against methane.Read the Op-ed published in Forbes here. We Can Fend off Climate Fatalism by Limiting Near-term WarmingDeeply cutting super pollutants such as methane, hydrofluorocarbons, ground-level ozone, nitrous oxide and black carbon will limit near-term temperatures. These climate super pollutants are tens, hundreds and even thousands of times more powerful in trapping heat per pound than carbon dioxide. Most are also short-lived, so cutting them provides fast benefits for the climate while preventing trillions in climate impact costs and millions of deaths every year.Read Op-ed published in WEF here. Biden-Harris Administration Announces New Actions to Detect and Reduce Climate Super PollutantsThe Biden-Harris Administration hosted a White House Super Pollutants Summit with U.S. officials, companies, environmental organisations, unions, philanthropies, and international partners to announce new domestic and international actions to tackle climate super pollutants and celebrate successes in reducing super pollutants to date.Read Factsheet here. Waste Clinics: A Practical Approach to Identify Challenges and Solutions for Solid Waste Management Local governments face enormous challenges in managing the ever-growing waste streams as they are responsible for their collection, treatment, and disposal. To help local governments, Waste Clinics were conceived as a tool for identifying their most pressing challenges and finding potential solutions. CATF published an article on the importance and our experience conducting Waste Clinics in the Waste Management World Magazine.Waste Clinics have been used by several organisations, including the Climate and Clean Air Coalition, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Clean Air Task Force (CATF), C40, and RMI. The process of preparing and conducting a Waste Clinic varies and can be adapted depending on the specific needs of both the facilitating institution and the participants. Some basic steps for planning and conducting the Waste Clinic are described here based on CATF’s experience.Read more here. Enhancing Adaptation and Mitigation Actions for Sustainable Livestock Transformation in Eight CountriesEight countries - Bangladesh, Burkina Faso, Kenya, Rwanda, Senegal, the United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe – will elevate climate ambitions by incorporating more livestock-related commitments and targets into their nationally determined contributions (NDCs) revisions in 2025. This plan is part of the FAO’s Flexible Voluntary Contributions (FVC) sub-programme Scaling-up climate actions to enhance NDCs, climate, and livestock. Read more here. Institutional Leadership Advances SLCP Planning in Dominican RepublicThe Dominican Republic has made substantial progress in understanding its SLCP sources and mitigation options in recent years. Since 2019 the DR has developed a national SLCP emission inventory and integrated SLCPs into its NDC update. However, the Dominican Republic has joined the Global Methane Pledge and is now in the process of outlining how it will achieve its contribution to the Pledge.Read more here. Costa Rica Publishes SLCP RoadmapIn May 2024, project implementers La Ruta del Clima and Climate Lead Group published the Roadmap for implementing SLCP mitigation measures, including prioritised measures. The Roadmap identifies the potential benefits of fully implementing SLCP mitigation policies in each sector. Read more here. Rwanda Host Workshop on SLCP Plan and Methane Roadmap DevelopmentThe Rwanda Environment Management Authority (REMA) and the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS Rwanda) hosted a two-day workshop to discuss the development of the National Short-Lived Climate Pollutants Plan and Methane Roadmap in Rwanda.Read more here. Vanuatu Partners with the Climate and Clean Air Coalition to Prioritise Action on Super PollutantsThe Government of Vanuatu, building on its role as a strong advocate for climate action, has officially joined the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC), a partnership of over 182 governments, intergovernmental organisations, and non-governmental organisations working to reduce powerful super pollutants – methane, black carbon, hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), and tropospheric ozone – that drive both climate change and air pollution, and in the case of nitrous oxide, destroying the ozone layer.Read more here. Image Climate Super PollutantsClimate super pollutants are emitted from every economic sector and across the globe, including power generation, fossil fuel production and distribution, industrial processes, agriculture, transportation, buildings, and waste management.Super pollutants have several environmental consequences, with implications for climate change, public health, and food security. The flip side is that reducing emissions of super pollutants yields multiple benefits to society. Super pollutant mitigation is an important complement to drastically cutting carbon dioxide.There are available and affordable measures to drastically and immediately cut emissions of climate super pollutants from nearly all sources. These measures range from improved practices, to more efficient systems, to cleaner alternatives, to capture or destruction technologies.Read more here. Image Climate Science and the Danger of Making Comms Too SimpleIn this episode of the GovComms Podcast, host David Pembroke interviews Dr. Nathan Borgford-Parnell, the science lead at the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC).The discussion begins with an introduction to the CCAC, a United Nations Environment Program initiative aimed at reducing short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs) like methane, black carbon, and hydrofluorocarbons. Dr. Borgford-Parnell explains the coalition’s mission, its voluntary membership of governments, NGOs, and private sector entities, and the significant benefits of addressing SLCPs in conjunction with long-term climate goals.Listen here. New Climate and Clean Air Coalition Report Spotlights Cost-Effective and Scalable Solutions to Reduce Livestock Methane EmissionsThe UNEP-convened Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) Technology & Economic Assessment Panel (TEAP), co-led by Ireland and Senegal, have released a key report that spotlights two promising and immediately implementable solutions for methane mitigation for farmers in low-and-middle income countries: digital agricultural services, and results-based payments.Read more here. Outcomes of the Fluorocarbon Banks Inventories WorkshopAlmost a hundred participants from 32 developing countries and expert organisations participated in the Fluorocarbon Banks Inventories Workshop in Montreal on July 7, 2024.The workshop sought to familiarise participants with the preparation of national inventories of banks of controlled substances and national plans for management of these substances.Read more here. Climate Conundrum Podcast - Episode SevenShort-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs) are accelerating the melting of our precious ice caps. In part two of episode seven releasing tomorrow, Zerin Osho of IGSD explains what happens if the high emissions from India's waste, agriculture, and transport sector are not curtailed. Discover why this issue is not just an environmental concern but a major threat to our water and food security, and ultimately, regional geopolitical stability.Listen here to understand these crucial links and what it means for our future. Bezos Earth Fund Announces $10 Million in New Funding for MethaneSATThe Bezos Earth Fund announced at a White House Summit on “super-pollutant” greenhouse gas emissions that it will provide $10 million in new funding to Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) to support MethaneSAT. The new grant follows a three-year $100 million donation announced in November 2020. Read more here. The Satellite Helping Slow Climate Change — Right NowIn this TED talk, Millie Chu Baird, Vice president in the Environmental Defense Fund’s Office of the Chief Scientist, highlights the urgent need to cut methane pollution and explains how MethaneSAT, a satellite designed to accurately track methane emissions, is a scalable solution for impactful, immediate climate action.Watch the TED Talk here. Publications Image Three Actions and a Tool to Cut Methane Emissions and Slow Global Warming Methane emissions are rising rapidly and threaten our ability to achieve global climate goals. How can nations best meet their methane-reduction pledges?Scientists, including members of CCAC Scientific Advisory Panel, emphasise the urgent need for rapid decreases in methane emissions to slow near-term global warming and maintain established carbon budgets. Their paper outlines three imperatives: Reversing recent growth in methane emissions, aligning methane-and CO₂ mitigation.Maximising the impact and cost-effectiveness of methane abatement strategies.How countries can achieve these while also addressing social equity issues.This explainer summarises the article’s main points.Read the full article here. Image The New Collective Quantified Goal on Climate Finance: Elements for Consideration of Global Air Report 2024The new collective quantified goal (NCQG) on climate finance is expected to be agreed at COP29, representing a new era of climate finance for Parties. It is also an opportunity to reinvigorate the climate regime by building confidence that finance necessary for the implementation of more ambitious Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) will be available.This discussion paper consolidates and considers prevalent positions of Parties on various emerging elements of the NCQG. These elements, as reflected in the NCQG co-chair’s updated input paper released during the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) 60th sessions of the Subsidiary Bodies (SBs), 1 mirror the structure of the co-chair’s updated input paper to the extentpossible. Read more here. Opportunities 2024 CCAC Call For Proposals to Advance National Policy and Mitigation ActionsProjects under this call will fulfil services requested by CCAC State Partners to support national policy and mitigation action on short-lived climate pollutants. These requests for support are collected from developing country partners through our annual Expression of Interest (EOI) process.More information here. Image Request for Proposals: Technical Support to 4C and the CLEAR Methodology The United Nations Foundation’s (UNF) Clean Cooking Alliance (CCA) is accepting proposals to provide technical support to the Clean Cooking & Climate Consortium (4C), which is a group of partners supporting the use of cooking energy interventions to achieve climate goals.4C has recently released for public comment a draft version of the Comprehensive Lowered Emissions Assessment and Reporting (CLEAR) Methodology for Cooking Energy Transitions (CLEAR methodology,) the first-ever methodology for crediting emissions reductions from cooking projects to be applicable to all cooking transition scenarios. The selected organisation(s) or consultant(s) will provide technical support for activities related to this methodology.More information here. Job Opening: CCAC Junior Digital Communications ConsultantThe CCAC Digital Communications Consultant will produce engaging and creative content, compelling written and audio-visual products, and disseminate important CCAC news and progress updates throughout the CCAC channels. Click here for full details and to apply. Job Opening: CCAC Transportation Sector Expert for BrazilThe Transportation Sector Expert will be responsible for supporting the Brazilian Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MMA) in the elaboration of the TRANSPORTATION sector mitigation plan for the Plano Clima, with an integrated co-mitigation of GHGs and SLCPs approach.Click here for full details and to apply.