New Partners of the Climate and Clean Air Coalition to Reduce Short-Term Climate Pollutants

Here are some quotes from new partners that recently joined the Climate and Clean Air Coalition to Reduce Short-Term
Climate Pollutants. These quotes come from the nations of Columbia, Nigeria and Norway as well as the World Bank.

Colombia

Frank Pearl, the Colombian Minister of the Environment
and Sustainable Development, said:”
“Colombia has recognized for some time the urgency of acting on these short
lived climate pollutants including the impacts of black carbon on public health
and the accelerated melting of glaciers the high mountain areas of Latin
America”.

“Colombia is among several countries in our region to
act on soot particles from vehicles and other contaminating sources as well
as emissions that are triggering tropospheric or ground level ozone—another
short lived climate pollutants,” he said.

“In joining the Coalition we see not only potential
national and global benefits but Colombia plans to act as a regional hub,
reaching out to other countries in Latin America in order to generate regional
opportunities for sustainable development,” said Mr Pearl.

Nigeria

Mrs Hadiza Ibrahim Mailafia , Nigerian Minister of the
Environment said: “Nigeria is delighted to be a new member of the Coalition. It
is estimated that 95,000 women in my country die each year prematurely because
of black carbon emissions from source such as inefficient cook stoves–this is a
conservative estimate. Meanwhile there are enormous opportunities for reducing
methane emissions from sources such as the oil and gas industry and landfills
that can benefit Nigeria and its people and the wider regional and global
ambitions to combat climate change in a cost effective and economic way”.

“We look to encourage more countries within Africa and
beyond to join this inspiring initiative so that fast action can be federated
everywhere in order to save lives, improve food security and tackle climate
change which challenges the future of the poor and the vulnerable
exponentially,” she added.

Norway

Bård Vegar Solhjell, the Norwegian Minister of the
Environment, said: “Norway is delighted to join the Coalition. It unites our
country’s interest in achieving national sustainability with international
responsibilities in the areas of health, food security, climate and
development”.

“There are many international initiatives addressing
these short term pollutants, and Norway is participating in several of them. In
this Coalition the United Nations Environment Program participates, both as
partner and as Secretariat for the Coalition. This is a very wise decision,
which provides credibility and leverage and increases the value of the
Coalition´s work”, he added.

“Finally it echoes to Norway’s interest in the Green
Economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication—a key
issue for the upcoming Rio+20 Summit in June—in which
well-targeted policy and financial interventions can catalyze benefits across
multiple fronts,” said Mr Solhjell.

World Bank

“From multi-billion dollar investments in clean energy
each year to climate smart solutions for agriculture and cities, the Bank
already targets short-term environmental pollutants in developing countries
through our lending, data and evidence based knowledge sharing and technical
assistance. But, we can achieve even more by working as a coalition,” said
Rachel Kyte, World Bank Vice President for Sustainable Development.

“This is the most important decade for action on climate
change”, Kyte said. “But with a global treaty that will speed the curbing of
carbon dioxide many years off, the climate and clean air coalition puts a
practical new deal on the table – one that helps slow global warming while
reducing the soot and smog that is damaging food crops and health worldwide,
undermining growth and development.”