European Commission joins Climate and Clean Air Coalition

The European Commission has joined the Climate and Clean Air Coalition, a new international initiative to accelerate the reduction of emissions of short-lived climate pollutants such as methane, black carbon (soot) and hydrofluorocarbon gases (HFCs). The announcement was made at a meeting of the Coalition in Stockholm on 24 April and takes the number of Coalition partners to 13.

Connie Hedegaard, European Commissioner for Climate Action, said: "The European Commission is very pleased to join this Coalition. This initiative should complement the efforts needed under the UN climate change convention to cut global greenhouse gas emissions to a level that will limit global temperature increase to below 2°C. The Commission is willing to consider further support to concrete projects in developing countries to reduce emissions from short-lived climate pollutants."

"Action on these pollutants will not, however, replace the need for continued action by all major economies to reduce CO2 emissions, which needs to be stepped up," Commissioner Hedegaard added.

The Stockholm meeting approved five actions that are to be implemented rapidly:

• Fast action on diesel emissions from heavy duty vehicles
• Upgrading old brick kilns (a significant souce of black carbon emissions)
• Accelerating reduction of methane emissions from landfills
• Speeding up cuts in methane and other emissions from the oil and gas industry
• Accelerating the take-up of alternatives to HFCs

Further initiatives are to be developed over the coming weeks.

The Coalition will build on existing efforts and related international agreements, and intends to work with regional institutions, cities, committed business leaders and non-governmental organisations.

Read more:

• UNEP press release