UNEP chief: Addressing super pollutants to save millions of lives

21 / 02 / 2024

By Marwa Nassar - -

Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) Inger Andersen said addressing short-lived climate pollutants – or super pollutants as they are increasingly known – will save millions of lives by reducing the air pollution that blights much of the world.

Addressing the Climate and Clean Air Conference, she said “delivering action on super pollutants will give climate action a fast-acting shot in the arm. And we need this shot. UNEP’s Emissions Gap Report 2023 tells us we are heading for a global temperature rise of 2.5 to 2.9°C this century. Keeping 1.5°C within reach requires ambitious action on super pollutants.”

She said that addressing super pollutants will help bring down health costs by reducing issues such as childhood asthma. It will boost food security by protecting crops from pollutants such as tropospheric ozone. As a solution across the triple planetary crisis, action on super pollutants is the ultimate three-for-one offer.

“So, we need to push harder. I encourage you to build on the momentum from COP28. Include super pollutants in Nationally Determined Contributions as they are being renewed. Finalize Methane Roadmaps and implement them quickly. And, crucially, find new ways to finance action,” she said.

“While there have been initiatives from multilateral development banks, donors and philanthropies on methane, abatement finance must increase at least 3.5 times by 2030. Action on other less high-profile pollutants, such as N₂0 and black carbon, remains underfunded,” she said.

The 2024 new assessment of the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC), Making the Business Case for Action, will help building understanding and action. As will the operationalization of the Clean Air Flagship. “But, over the next three days, I ask you to consider what else you can do, particularly in the run-up to COP29. How can you formulate ambition to rally communities? How can data and monitoring support further action? How can you spur more private sector action across value chains?”

“Just as we need a superhero to defeat a supervillain, we need super solutions to battle super pollutants. And we need you to mastermind these solutions,” she concluded.