Climate and Energy

The more quickly we reduce all of the pollutants driving climate change—carbon dioxide and climate “super pollutants” like black carbon, methane, and hydrofluorocarbons—the more likely it is we’ll have the safe, stable climate our communities need to stay healthy and vibrant.

Bolstering critical carbon dioxide cuts with reductions of black carbon, methane, and hydrofluorocarbons is a critical step toward achieving a safe, stable climate. Cutting these climate pollutants will also deliver improved air quality, better public health, including in vulnerable communities, and greater food security.

How We Do It

Readily available solutions exist to quickly reduce climate super pollutants today. Our strategies include supporting:

Phasing Down Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs)

We support global efforts to cut emissions of HFCsLooking for more information? You can dive deeper with these resources:

— Well Under 2 Degrees Celsius, a report on reducing short-lived climate pollutants

— Fumes Across the Fence Line, the health impacts of oil and gas pollution

— An index of science publications on methane, black carbon, HFCs, and other climate pollutants

Want to go further? These organizations offer a wide range of information on SLCPs:

— Clean Air Task Force

— Climate & Clean Air Coalition

— Institute for Governance & Sustainable Development

— International Council on Clean Transportation1, one of the fastest growing climate pollutants. Governments, civil society, and industry worldwide are partnering to curb the use of this potent pollutant effectively, quickly, and in ways that promote energy efficiency.

Cutting Black Carbon

Diesel trucks are a primary emitter of black carbonLooking for more information? You can dive deeper with these resources:

— Well Under 2 Degrees Celsius, a report on reducing short-lived climate pollutants

— Fumes Across the Fence Line, the health impacts of oil and gas pollution

— An index of science publications on methane, black carbon, HFCs, and other climate pollutants

Want to go further? These organizations offer a wide range of information on SLCPs:

— Clean Air Task Force

— Climate & Clean Air Coalition

— Institute for Governance & Sustainable Development

— International Council on Clean Transportation1. By cleaning up fuel and putting filters on trucks and buses, we can reduce black carbon and other air pollutants, cooling the planet and helping save millions of lives. That is why we support cleaner vehicle emissions standards. We also support research and the development of solutions to curb black carbon in the marine shipping sector, another critical source of this pollutant.

Curbing Methane Emissions

Pound for pound, over several decades methane is nearly 100 times more potent in warming the atmosphere than carbon dioxide. It also contributes to smog, creating health problems globally. We fund efforts to reduce methane emissions in the oil, gas, waste, and wastewater sectors by improving industry practices, policy, and regulations with solutions that exist nowLooking for more information? You can dive deeper with these resources:

— Well Under 2 Degrees Celsius, a report on reducing short-lived climate pollutants

— Fumes Across the Fence Line, the health impacts of oil and gas pollution

— An index of science publications on methane, black carbon, HFCs, and other climate pollutants

Want to go further? These organizations offer a wide range of information on SLCPs:

— Clean Air Task Force

— Climate & Clean Air Coalition

— Institute for Governance & Sustainable Development

— International Council on Clean Transportation1.

Raising Awareness About Climate Super Pollutants

We support research, collaboration, and outreach that increases awareness of the accelerated effect that reducing emission of short-lived climate pollutants can have on cooling our climate and improving public health. We seek to broaden the number and type of organizations working to reduce black carbon, methane, HFCs, and other climate pollutants.

Looking for more information? You can dive deeper with these resources:

— Well Under 2 Degrees Celsius, a report on reducing short-lived climate pollutants

— Fumes Across the Fence Line, the health impacts of oil and gas pollution

— An index of science publications on methane, black carbon, HFCs, and other climate pollutants

Want to go further? These organizations offer a wide range of information on SLCPs:

— Clean Air Task Force

— Climate & Clean Air Coalition

— Institute for Governance & Sustainable Development

— International Council on Clean Transportation

Rapidly reducing climate super pollutants will cool our planet, strengthen communities and economies, and improve our well-being.

Grantee Spotlight

Chispa Texas

Texas is an international capital for the fossil fuel industry and the largest GHG emitter in the U.S. Chispa Texas – one of six Chispa programs across the country – aims to elevate the voice and power of Latinx families to influence the environmental policies and decisions that affect their lives. Chispa Texas is based out of Corpus Christi which is over 60 percent Latinx and embodies the state’s enduring public health concerns and environmental effects of reliance on fossil fuels, from extraction to refining to transportation. The Port of Corpus Christi is the country’s largest crude oil exporter, with plans to expand its output by shipping Canadian and Bakken oil (to be delivered by pipelines now under construction). Low-income residents live under threat of air pollutants from the port operations and refineries.

This grant to Chispa Texas builds and elevates powerful grassroots leadership among Latinx and other communities of color by enabling them to advocate for climate, clean air, and clean energy solutions.

Photo Credit: Yvonne Landin