24 February 2015: The Working Group meeting of the Climate and Clean Air Coalition to Reduce Short-Lived Climate Pollutants (CCAC) opened in Kathmandu, Nepal, welcoming two new partners to the network, which now includes 103 State and non-State members.

Convening from 24-25 February 2015, the Working Group will focus on developing a five-year Strategic Plan for the Coalition, based on a request by Ministers and Heads of the CCAC Partner organizations at the UN Climate Summit in September 2014. In addition, the meeting will review new funding requests, hear an update by the Scientific Advisory Panel, and discuss, inter alia, the development of monitoring and evaluation tools for the Coalition’s work, and the implementation of awareness-raising strategies globally.

In a video message, Achim Steiner, UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Executive Director, encouraged participants to explore how the Coalition can demonstrate the cost-effectiveness of reducing short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs) and showcase its work through international networks. Participants also heard presentations covering, inter alia, integrating SLCPs in national climate strategies, black carbon finance, solid municipal waste and the health-climate nexus.

CCAC, established in 2012, is a voluntary international coalition of governments, international organizations and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) focusing on addressing SLCPs, including through raising awareness of their impacts and transformative mitigation strategies. The Working Group, which includes focal points from each CCAC partner, convenes at least twice a year to oversee the Coalition’s activities. [CCAC Event Page] [IISD RS Coverage of CCAC Working Group Meeting] [IISD RS Sources]