Short - Lived Climate Pollutants And Clean Air Coalition

Selahattin INCECIK

The largest contribution to the global greenhouse effect after the carbon dioxide comes from the short-lived climate pollutants such as black carbon (BC), methane (CH4) and tropospheric ozone (O3). Struggle with short-lived climate pollutants of air pollution on human health, agricultural commodities and the damage to the ecosystem while reducing the negative impact of climate change are mitigated. For this purpose, a volunteer-based cooperation on the principle of “The Climate and Clean Air (CCA) Coalition” at Stockholm in2012 has been launched. It is a partnership of governments, intergovernmental organizations, the environmental community and other members of civil society. A group of countries led by the US, Sweden, Bangladesh, Ghana, Canada and Mexico have built a coalition to address short lived climate pollutants.The CCA Coalition’s main objectives are addressed by:

- Improving scientific understanding of black carbon, methane and tropospheric ozone impacts and mitigation strategies,

- Raising awareness of their impacts and mitigation strategies; and

- Enhancing and developing new national and regional actions, including by identifying and overcoming barriers, enhancing capacity and mobilizing support.

Coalition, contributing to global warming pose a threat to human health until the short-lived pollutants contribute to efforts to reduce the short-term aims. Henceforth we will consider air quality and climate change together. The rapid mitigation of anthropogenic black carbon and tropospheric ozone precursor emissions would complement carbon dioxide reduction measures and would have immediate benefits for human well-being.Thus, the coalition mainly fulfils the task for cooperation in reducing of short-lived climate pollutants on the following titles:

1. Reduction of black carbon from motor vehicle and industrial emissions

2. Reduction of methane from the municipal solid wastes

3. Controlling of tropospheric ozone levels

4. Cooperating in development of alternative technologies to reduce the HFCs

Climate Change, Black Carbon, Methan, Troposphericozone.

INTRODUCTION

In recent decades, many regions of the world are affected by the negative consequences of climate change due to the gradually increasing CO₂ levels (approximately400 ppm). The changing of weather patterns, rising sea levels and melting glaciers while the threat of overshooting the 2ºC safetytarget is looming. Furthermore, local environment and the health problems brings a new dimension to the global environment.

Different greenhouse gases and aerosols in the atmosphere caused by the radiative flux imbalance creates the beginning of this strategy. Short-lived climate pollutants have relatively short lifetime in the atmosphere and a warming influence on climate. The main short lived climate pollutants are black carbon, methane and tropospheric ozone, which are the most important contributors to the anthropogenic enhancement of the global greenhouse effect after CO₂. While creating the strategies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, it is trying to find solutions from different angles. These short-lived climate pollutants are also dangerous air pollutants, with various detrimental impacts on human health, agriculture and ecosystems. Around 3.1 million people worldwide each year die from indoor and outdoor air pollution. These include a significant share of short-lived climate pollutants include. Quick actions such as the use of cleaner fuels short-lived climate pollutants on the two million premature deaths each year has the potential to lead to the prevention. In recent years, one of the strategies developed in reducing short-lived climate pollutants is an establishing of a coalition. Thus, the coalition mainly will fulfil the task for cooperation in reducing of short-lived climate pollutants.

SHORT-LIVED CLIMATE POLLUTANTS ANDCLEAN AIRCOALITION

Air quality in the last decade has improved a great deal in many countries of the world. Butstill problems on air quality which have a negative impacts on human health and ecosystems are exist. Furthermore, in order to preserve the cultural heritage and contribute to the reduction of climate change in the short term, there are more work to be done. This short-lived climate pollutants consists of black carbon, methane and tropospheric ozone. Other than these short-lived climate pollutants, some hydro fluorocarbons (HFCs) in the atmosphere were found in a very small amount. But their climate forcing contributions up to the 2050 year is estimated about 19% of the global CO₂ emissions. The climate actions for reducing the concentrations of short lived climate pollutants in the atmosphere quickly reduces the warming impacts. In particular actions to reduce methane and black carbon has the potential to slow warming up to 0.5 degrees by 2050.