High-Impact Climate Pollutants Information

Research indicates that three shorter-lived non-CO2 climate agents – black carbon, tropospheric ozone, and methane -- to date collectively have nearly the same estimated temperature impact on the Arctic as CO2. Reducing these climate pollutants now is a golden opportunity to decelerate Arctic warming, and to lower the risk of the dire global consequences.

News
MEDIA ADVISORY: Targeting High-Impact Climate Pollutants May Slow Arctic Warming
Norway and Arctic scientists will present important new data on the effects of high-impact pollutants on the Arctic climate system in a side event moderated by former IPCC Chair Dr. Robert Watson, Tuesday, December 2 at the UNFCCC COP-14 climate negotiations in Poznan, Poland.  Click for more details on this event.

Science
AMAP: The Impact of Short-Lived Pollutants on Arctic Climate
AMAP: Sources and Mitigation Opportunities to Reduce Emissions of Short-term Arctic
NOAA: Arctic Report Card 2008
NSIDC: September ice extent from 1979 to 2009

Background Materials
High-Impact Climate Pollutants Backgrounder
CA-CP: Slowing Arctic Warming by Reducing Short-lived Climate Forcers
CATF: Arctic Initiative Policy Program, Copenhagen 2008
CA-CP/CPC-Europe: Slowing Arctic Warming and Sea Ice Melt By Reducing High-Impact Climate Pollutants: Poznan Presentation December 2, 2008 (PPT)

News Coverage and Video
USA Today: Arctic sea ice melts to 2nd-lowest level on record
MSNBC Video: Ice guru's concerns (click Melting Ice, Ice guru's concerns)