18 July 2012: The Climate and Clean Air Coalition to Reduce Short-Lived Climate Pollutants (CCAC) is inviting children and young people between 12 and 25 years to participate in an international awareness raising contest on short-lived climate pollutants (SLCP).

Youth are called to present social media and audiovisual products on SLCP for outreach and awareness raising globally. Submissions can address the following categories: best slogan for the CCAC; best description of what a SLCP is; best social media proposal on SLCP and the Coalition’s work; and best audio-visual product on SLCP’s impacts and opportunities. Entries can be submitted until 14 September 2012 via online web form, e-mail or post. The winners will be selected by an international panel by 30 September 2012.

CCAC partners include: G-8 members, Bangladesh, Canada, Ghana, Mexico, Sweden, the US, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), Colombia, Japan, Nigeria, Norway, the European Commission, and the World Bank. The initiative is part of the Coalition’s global efforts to close the information gap on SLCPs, harmful substances that comprise black carbon, methane, tropospheric ozone and some hydrofluorocarbons. These pollutants have negative impacts on human health, agriculture and ecosystems. Reduction of these pollutants, in particular methane and black carbon, could: slow down in 0.5ºC the climate warming expected by 2050; prevent over two million of deaths per year; and avoid annual crop losses in more than 30 million tons. [CCAC Website] [Contest Website] [Contest Brochure]