CCAC Newsletter – March 2025

CCAC NDC Watch: Latest on Non-CO₂ Pollutants in National Climate Plans  

Since the last Climate and Clean Air Coalition NDC Watch, three countries have submitted new Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), the Maldives, Zambia and Cuba. The Paris Agreement does not require or specify how Short-Lived Climate Pollutants (SLCPs) should be integrated into NDCs, but there are multiple ways in which countries can include SLCPs in their NDC that can help to increase the climate and clean air benefits from its implementation. Targets, specific mitigation actions that reduce SLCPs, and outlining health and air quality benefits from NDC implementation can also demonstrate how a country can improve its own air quality and increase its climate change mitigation ambition. In addition, the strong overlap in sources of greenhouse gases and SLCPs mean that even where an NDC does not explicitly focus on SLCPs, the policies and measures identified to achieve an NDC in many cases will implicitly reduce SLCPs. This can lead to even larger climate and clean air benefits than a country may have intended without any additional effort.

To learn more, check out the NDC Watch blog post on our website. 

Climate and Clean Air Conference 2025

Over the three-day conference, discussions focused on integrating ambitious strategies to reduce super pollutants into updated national climate plans (NDCs 3.0) and moving from momentum to action. As we head towards COP30 later this year, addressing super pollutants alongside deep decarbonization must take center-stage.  

A series of new initiatives and action-underpinning reports were launched throughout the week, demonstrating the strong momentum behind super pollutant mitigation efforts. These include the launch of UNEP’s updated Global Strategy to Introduce Low-Sulfur Fuels and Cleaner Diesel Vehicles, aimed at accelerating the transition to cleaner on-road diesel fleets; the release of a CCAC Technology and Assessment Panel (TEAP) report assessing the potential of black soldier fly technology to cut methane emissions from organic waste; a new policy brief on digital extension services for livestock to help reduce methane from the livestock sector; and a sustainability strategy for the Bioceanic Road Corridor.

Subnational governments, who are on the frontlines of the fight against climate change and air pollution, reaffirmed their commitment to tackling super pollutants, with the governments of Belém, Fortaleza, and Rio de Janeiro, joining the Lowering Organic Waste Methane (LOW-M) initiative, paired with the release of LOW-M’s new Data Guidance to support improved emissions tracking. This builds on the momentum of 62 countries signing the CCAC-supported COP29 Organic Waste Methane Declaration, which now represents over 50% of global waste methane emitters.    

The CCAC, in partnership with Oxfam America, launched a landmark initiative to integrate gender equity into super pollutant mitigation strategies, recognizing the critical role of women in driving super pollutant solutions at the community level.  

The Conference also advanced action across the CCAC’s six sectoral hubs — agriculture, heavy-duty vehicles and engines, waste, household energy, fossil fuels, and cooling. Cross-cutting sessions underscored the urgency of accelerating action on super pollutants ahead of COP30, while aligning climate and air quality policies for maximum benefits to public health, food security, and sustainable development.  

Our sincere thanks to the CCAC Scientific Advisory Panel, Global Methane Pledge Champions, and all participants from national governments, NGOs, philanthropies, and international organizations. A special thank you to our hosts, the Government of Brazil, for hosting this year’s Conference and raising the bar on ambitious action on super pollutants. 

To read more about the conference, check out the daily updates below.    

WHO Second Global Conference on Air Pollution and Health 

Image

Following a successful 2025 Climate and Clean Air Conference in Brasilia, Brazil, the CCAC participated in the World Health Organization’s Second Global Conference on Air Pollution and Health in Cartagena, Colombia. Throughout the week, the CCAC took part in multiple panel discussions and side events that highlight the connection between super pollutants, air quality, and health, while highlighting CCAC initiatives already underway to help tackle dangerous air pollution.  

During the conference, Head of the Secretariat, Martina Otto, lead a dynamic discussion on how reducing super pollutants can help clean the air we breathe. She began by highlighting the success story of Medellín. Not long ago, the city was battling severe air pollution - trapped in a thick layer of smog so potent that simply stepping outside was a health hazard. Taking bold action, Medellín invested in electric public transport and expanded green corridors, cutting its fine particle pollution by nearly 40% in just a few years. Following her remarks, a panel shared their insights on how reducing super pollutants can help clean the air we breathe while also addressing climate change.  

On the final day, The United Kingdom expressed its support for AQMx and ACAP, pledging an additional £700,000 for ACAP, which FCDO’s Leonard Tedd described as a “vital platform for regional cooperation.” Additionally, Brazil committed to its support for the WHO target, through strengthening inter-ministerial cooperation to advance key initiatives, establishing national air quality policy and standards based on the WHO guidelines, collaborating to build capacity with PAHO and WHO and developing an intersectoral national climate plan with stronger emphasis on equity and just transition.  

A number of other CCAC partners were among those also announcing their support for the WHO target including Colombia, C40 Cities, Spain, Norway, Germany, Clean Air Fund (who pledged to raise $90 million over the next two years to support clean air initiatives), Vietnam, Mongolia, Mexico, Pakistan, the Philippines, India, UNEP (who committed to capacity development using AQMx).

Bridging the Gap: Women, Leadership, and Super Pollutant Solutions

Women are crucial in combating super pollutants, yet often face systemic barriers. In Nigeria, the CCAC-supported ASLCPs project demonstrates this duality. While women comprise a significant portion of the agricultural workforce and excel in implementing climate-smart practices, they are underrepresented in leadership roles. Check out CCAC’s blog post to read more about the Abatement of Short-Lived Climate Pollutants (ASLCPs) in the Agricultural Sector Project, which highlights that farmer groups with higher female participation achieve more sustainable results.

Additionally, this month marked the completion of a CCAC project focused on building capacity to reduce SLCPs emissions from the waste sector in Togo, with a strong emphasis on gender balance in training and planning. Recognizing the gender disparities in waste management, Togo's national policies, supported by the CCAC, actively promote women's economic inclusion through financial support, training, and institutional backing, aiming to improve working conditions and dignify informal waste-related activities. 

Read more about Togo’s capacity building project below. 

Upcoming events

Beyond the Road: Mitigating Emissions in Non-Road Vehicles and Stationary Engines

Where: Virtual – Register here.

When: 2 April, 2025 -- 14:00 - 15:15 (Paris)

What: In this webinar, the CCAC HDVE Hub along with the City of Oslo, the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT), C40 Cities, and Swiss Contact aim to (1) present the importance of mitigating emissions from non-road mobile machinery and stationary engines; (2) highlight the enabling environment for successful implementation; and (3) identify potential barriers and measures to address them.  

2025 Champions of the Earth award 

Image

When: 1 April, 2025 – 30 April, 2025  

What: The 2025 cycle of the Champions of the Earth nominations is open from 1 April – 30 April 2025. The 2025 award spotlights outstanding climate action focusing on solutions on methane, buildings and construction,  sustainable cooling including energy efficiency, clean air, and forests.

Nominate a Champion of the Earth 

Publications and Resources 

CCAC TEAP Report: Transforming Organic Waste with Black Soldier Flies: A Guide for Decision-Makers, Entrepreneurs, and Implementers to Unlock the Organic Waste Potential of Black Soldier Fly Systems 

Image

The report provides an in-depth overview of the current landscape and potential of BSF technology as a sustainable solution for waste management, animal feed production, and circular economy practices. Developed in response to growing global challenges related to organic waste, food security, and sustainable agriculture, BSF technology has garnered increasing interest from policymakers, investors, entrepreneurs, and agricultural stakeholders alike. BSF bioconversion aligns closely with circular economy principles, offering greater efficiency and value than composting when used under favorable conditions.  

Read the strategy here.

LOW-Methane Data Strategy: Unlocking Action Through Waste and Methane Data 

The LOW-Methane Data Strategy is designed to unlock action on methane mitigation from organic waste by improving data collection, analysis, and application. Methane emissions from organic waste account for approximately 10% of global anthropogenic methane emissions, making the waste sector a critical area for targeted mitigation efforts. However, data gaps and perceived financial risks have hindered effective action and investment. The strategy outlines a structured approach to data-driven decision-making in methane mitigation.

Read the strategy here. 

Accelerating Access to Clean Air on a Livable Planet 

The number of people exposed to dangerously high level of air pollution could be halved by 2040 with targeted policy action, according to a new World Bank report. The report “Accelerating Access to Clean Air on a Livable Planet” highlights that changes to policies can help to cut the number of people exposed to high levels of PM2.5 (fine particulate matter of 2.5 micrometers or less in diameter). Globally, most outdoor air pollution comes from human activities, so policy changes across the sectors that cause air pollution, agriculture, urban development, transport, and industry, as well as residential cooking and heating can help reduce particulate matter in the air that is harmful to health. In some regions, desert dust contributes as a significant source of fine particulate matter.

Download the report

Explore the key findings here. 

Scientific Papers Published by CCAC Scientific Advisory Panel Members 

• Guarin, J.R. et al. (2024) Modeling the effects of tropospheric ozone on the growth and yield of global staple crops with DSSAT v4.8.0, Geosci. Model Dev., 17, 2547–2567, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-17-2547-2024 (Co-authored by SAP, Lisa Emberson)  
• Thuy Huu Nguyen et al., (2024) Assessing the spatio-temporal tropospheric ozone and drought impacts on leaf growth and grain yield of wheat across Europe through crop modeling and remote sensing data, European Journal of Agronomy, Volume 153, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eja.2023.127052 (Co-authored by SAP, Lisa Emberson)