22 September 2014: The fifth High-Level Assembly of the Climate and Clean Air Coalition to Reduce Short-Lived Climate Pollutants (CCAC) considered the Coalition’s five-year strategic vision and discussed five statements on short-lived climate pollutants to be presented during the UN Climate Summit.

HLA 5 took place on 22 September 2014, in New York, US, the day before the UN Climate Summit. During the Assembly, five CCAC partner representatives outlined the substance of their joint statements to be announced at the Climate Summit. The aim of the joint statements was to highlight CCAC’s ability to raise awareness and catalyze political will and action, and they focused on five proposed or ongoing initiatives: plans to launch an oil and gas methane partnership; the Global Green Freight Action Plan; an initiative in support of a proposed amendment to phase down the production and consumption of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) under the Montreal Protocol; the City Action to Reduce Methane and Black Carbon from Municipal Solid Waste; and an action statement on agriculture, food security and nutrition.

In addition, participants heard an update on the science of SLCPs, and considered a summary of the CCAC’s highlights and progress during 2014 and key deliverables for the future. The HLA appointed new Working Group Co-Chairs, approved the Steering Committee’s membership, and extended the Coalition’s mandate for another five years. CCAC accepted Switzerland’s offer to host the next High-Level Assembly in Geneva, in May 2015, on the margins of the World Health Assembly (WHA), when members will invite their health counterparts to join them in a dialogue on mutual concerns.

Speaking at the Assembly, Achim Steiner, UN Environment Programme (UNEP) Executive Director, said CCAC is at the forefront of “opening the eyes of policy to science” and cited the Coalition as an example of “what can be achieved by bringing partners together alongside the negotiating process.” [IISD RS Meeting Coverage] [CCAC Press Release]