New International Short-Lived Pollutants Coalition

$12m in US funding will support a new multinational campaign against climate change, established between six nations.

The initiative will promote the adoption of low-cost environmentally-friendly technologies, like clean-cooking stoves and those involved recognise that, for once, carbon dioxide reductions aren't the key target. Rather, the US, Bangladesh, Mexico, Sweden, Ghana and Canada aim to address so-called ‘short-lived' pollutants - a greenhouse gas family that, as per the US State Department, represents over 30 per cent of the overall global warming scenario.

While the likes of CO2 spend decades surviving on in the atmosphere, these pollutants have a much shorter life - sometimes only lasting a few days before dissipating. HFCs, methane and black carbon are three examples and, with these reduced, the world can work towards hitting the latest global warming rise caps agreed at the most recent climate change summit meetings, according to Hillary Clinton - the US Secretary of State.

Short-Lived Pollutants

The new international short-lived pollutants reduction campaign will embrace and boost projects already in motion, including a programme supporting the introduction of clean-cooking stoves and another effort trying to limit coal mine-produced methane emissions, along with those from other sources include farming.

The US' $12m in funding is the largest single contribution but, of the other countries involved, Canada is supplying a further $3m.

"We know of course that this effort is not the answer to the climate crisis", Hillary Clinton explained, in a statement. She added: "There is no way to effectively address climate change without reducing carbon dioxide, the most dangerous, prevalent and persistent greenhouse gas."

International Pollutants Coalition

While recognising the new international pollutants coalition's plus-points, environmental organisations have, also, stressed the need for efforts to limit CO2 emissions to continue undiluted. "Going after black carbon, methane and other short-lived climate forcers is no substitute for a strong, sustained effort to significantly reduce emissions of carbon dioxide, the main driver of climate change", the US Center for Climate and Energy Solutions' President, Eileen Claussen, stated in comments quoted by news agency Reuters.

"While support for poorer countries is important, their primary responsibility should be to cut their own emissions and address the global challenges posed by climate change", Samantha Smith, from the WWF's Climate and Energy division, added.

The initial six-nations short-lived emissions conference is scheduled to be held in Stockholm, Sweden, in about two months' time.