Black Carbon Mitigation and the Role of the Global Environment Facility: A STAP Advisory Document

• Main Authors: Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel (STAP), Global Environment Facility, United Nations Environment Programme
• Format: Other/Unknown Material
• Language: English
• Published: Scientific and Technical Advisory Panel (STAP) 2016
• Subjects: Black carbon; emissions; climate change; health; agriculture; environment; Transport; climate change mitigation; Arctic; black carbon; Climate change; Human health
• Online Access: https://wedocs.unep.org/20.500.11822/7432

Black carbon (BC) is formed by the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels and biomass. It is the most strongly light-absorbing component of fine particulate matter, and a local and regional air pollutant. It is also a short-lived climate pollutant (SLCP) with a lifetime of only days to weeks after release into the atmosphere. During that short period, it can have significant direct and indirect radiative forcing (warming) effects that contribute to anthropogenic climate change at regional and global scales. Black carbon also accelerates the rapid melting of the cryosphere, particularly in the Himalayas and the Arctic, adding urgency to the need to decrease emissions into the atmosphere. All SLCPs should be considered since the impact of each species is highly complex on the local and global atmosphere, and demands specific options for emissions control and measurement techniques. This guidance note concentrates solely on black carbon to impart a more in-depth review of this important species. Several studies have demonstrated that carefully selected measures to prevent the release of microscopic BC particulate products arising from the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels and biomass can reduce near-term warming and improve human health. BC is not the only substance emitted from incomplete combustion, and the climate impacts depend on the full range of co-pollutants emitted from a particular source. The challenge facing the Global Environment Facility (GEF) is how best to operationalize BC mitigation measures into its portfolio of projects. The GEF – 6 Strategy (2014 – 2018) specifically highlights the need to incorporate BC, as well as other SLCPs including methane, hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and tropospheric ozone (O3) into climate change mitigation projects1. Since the GEF provides support for partner countries to address global environmental issues, it is well-positioned to support BC mitigation measures across all relevant sectors where appropriate. However, it does not provide direction on how to accomplish ...