Headline: The Science and Policy of Short-Lived Climate Pollutants

Click here for the recording.

In Doha on November 30th, Drew Shindell (NASA GISS), Myles Allen (Oxford University), Eduardo Calvo (National University of San Marco) and Adrian Macey (University of Victoria, Wellington) gave an up-to-date synopsis of the science and policy issues surrounding Short-Lived Climate Pollutant (SLCP) mitigation.

Potential relationships between SLCP and carbon dioxide mitigation, global temperature goals and the year of peak emissions were central to the briefing and subsequent discussion. All panelists pointed out that CO2 and SLCP mitigation are not to be considered as “either or” but rather as “both at the same time option”. SLCP reduction makes the lives of our children easier while CO2 reduction is far more important for the generation following thereafter.

However, simultaneous mitigation will cause difficulties for policy making as only a certain amount of money will be available to combat climate change and air pollution. Also, more complexities arise when tackling SLCPs since both warming and cooling agents will be reduced.

This event was held to provide an opportunity for delegates and observers to familiarize themselves with the science and policy issues surrounding SLCP mitigation prior to the Ministerial-level side event introducing the new SLCP-focused Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) held on Thursday December 6th.

More information can be found on the flyer and the policy brief.

The event in Doha is organized by the University of Oxford (Environmental Change Institute and Oxford Martin School) and the University of Victoria, Wellington (New Zealand Climate Change Research Institute). The webinar is facilitated by the Interdisciplinary and Global Working Group.