CCAC Working Group Meeting

The Working Group of the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) opened at UNESCO headquarters in Paris, France, on 8 September 2015. CCAC Working Group Co-Chair Hanne Bjurstrøm, Norway, welcomed new partners to the Coalition, including Lao PDR, Moldova, the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

In a keynote address, Drew Shindell, Scientific Advisory Panel Chair, presented an update on the contribution of SLCPs to climate change and human health, noting, among other things, that while the climate impacts of black carbon have been slightly overestimated, impacts on human health are significant. Presentations were made on: the Lima-Paris Action Agenda and COP 21; the Road to Paris, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Montreal Protocol; and the draft Implementation Plan. This was followed by a panel discussion and dialogue with participants on Key Strategies 1 (Catalyse Ambitious Action) and 2 (Mobilise Robust Support) in the proposed Implementation Plan.

Presentations and interventions from participants then took place on the mid-term review of CCAC Initiatives, including on: agriculture, brick production, oil and gas, health, Supporting National Planning for Action on SLPCs (SNAP), municipal solid waste, diesel and HFCs.
Numerous breakout sessions then convened on Key Strategies 1 and 2. In the evening a cocktail reception was held. Ryan McCarthy, California Air Resources Board, presented on what actions the state of California, US, has taken regarding air pollution and climate.

The Working Group of the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) continued its work at UNESCO headquarters in Paris, France, on 9 September 2015. CCAC Working Group discussed Key Strategies 3 (Leveraging finance at scale) and 4 (Enhancing science and knowledge) of the draft Implementation Plan. A session was also held on demonstrating the impact of SLCP activities, with Sweden presenting the views of the Task Force on the topic.

Breakout groups then convened to discuss Key Strategies 3 and 4 in more detail. During the lunch break, Ryan McCarthy, California Air Resources Board, made a presentation on California’s SLCP Reduction Strategy.

In the afternoon, participants discussed approval of funding proposals. Co-Chair Hanne Bjurstrøm noted that for the Spring 2016 Working Group meeting, new funding requests should be submitted by 2 November 2015. For this Working Group meeting, she said that four proposals were resubmitted by Initiatives and that the Steering Committee had provided recommendations on: bricks, cook stoves, heat stoves and waste. She also called attention to the emergency funding request by the Health Initiative.

Following introductions to the funding proposals by the various Initiatives, participants considered the recommendations by the Steering Committee. The funding proposal for heat stoves, in particular garnered much debate.

Reports back from the breakout sessions were then made, followed by an update on Secretariat activities and approval of the Secretariat budget. In a closing statement to the Working Group, Sylvie Lemmet, Director for European and International Affairs, French Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable development and Energy, discussed the upcoming Paris conference and the contributions that the CCAC could make. The meeting was closed at approximately 5:30 pm.