22 May 2012: The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) has announced that all members of the G-8 have joined the Climate and Clean Air Coalition to Reduce Short-lived Climate Pollutants. New partners in the Coalition include Germany, France, Italy, the Russian Federation and the UK.

Agreement to join the Climate and Clean Air Coalition to Reduce Short-lived Climate Pollutants was recorded in the Camp David Declaration, which was adopted at the G-8 Summit held from 18-19 May 2012, at Camp David, Maryland, US. The Declaration underlines the impact of short-lived climate pollutants on “near-term climate change, agricultural productivity, and human health.” It indicates the support of the G-8 to actions to reduce these pollutants, “as a means of promoting increased ambition and complementary to other carbon dioxide and greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction efforts.”

The new partners join: the Coalition’s founding members, namely Bangladesh, Canada, Ghana, Mexico, Sweden, the US and UNEP; as well as Colombia, Japan, Nigeria, Norway, the European Commission and the World Bank, who joined the Coalition in April 2012. The Coalition plans to: drive the development of national action plans and the adoption of policy priorities; build capacity among developing countries; mobilize public and private funds for action; raise awareness of black carbon; foster regional and international cooperation; and improve scientific understanding of the pollutant impacts and mitigation options. [UNEP Press Release] [Climate and Clean Air Coalition Website] [Camp David Declaration]