4 September 2012: The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) has announced that the Climate and Clean Air Coalition to Reduce Short-lived Climate Pollutants (CCAC) has launched an initiative aimed at reducing emissions of black carbon, toxics and other pollutants released through traditional brick production.

The initiative, led by Mexico’s National Institute of Ecology, together with CACC partners the Institute of Governance and Sustainable Development, Climateworks Foundation, the Clean Air Task Force, and the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI), was launched in the City of Guanajuato, Mexico. The initiative began with a three-day capacity building workshop in the City of Guanajuato, which aimed to examine public policies to reduce the environmental impacts of artisanal brick production. The workshop will consider solutions related to artisanal brick production in Latin America, Asia and Africa, including policies addressing the competitiveness, modernization and inclusiveness of the brick-making and construction sectors.

According to UNEP, the workshop is the first step in CCAC’s effort to put the issue of emissions from inefficient brick production on national governments’ agendas, and to catalyze political engagement and action. CCAC partner countries Bangladesh, Colombia, Ghana and Mexico are participating in the workshop, which is funded by the Government of Canada.

The Coalition aims to catalyze major reductions in black carbon (or soot), methane and some hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). The five current initiatives of the Coalition include: addressing methane emissions from municipal waste; emissions from brick kilns; promoting alternatives to HFCs; and emissions from the oil and gas industry. UNEP hosts the Coalition Secretariat. [UNEP Press Release]