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

ReFED

Each year, the U.S. sends about 52 million tons of uneaten food to landfill. In addition to losing an estimated $218 billion spent on growing, processing, transporting, and disposing of this food that is never eaten, wasted food releases large amounts of methane—a climate super pollutant—as the organic matter decomposes in landfills.

ReFED is a national nonprofit that works with public, private, and nonprofit leaders to reduce food waste in the United States. Among other activities, ReFED has developed tools to provide stakeholders with the information they need to take action:

  • The Roadmap to Reduce Food Waste built one of the broadest data sets and literature reviews to date to establish a map by stakeholder and region of existing food waste sent to landfill and left on the farm. The Roadmap set the framework for ReFED’s mission to reduce food waste through the most cost-effective strategies and is used by businesses, government officials, foundations, innovators, and capital investors to identify partners and food waste solutions.   
  • The Food Waste Innovator Database compiles over 400 innovators across the U.S. working to develop and grow solutions across the food waste sector.
  • The Food Waste Policy Finder provides a comprehensive overview of existing federal and state policies related to food waste, highlighting best-practice legislation.