Arctic Council action for reducing black carbon and methane emissions

Official title: Arctic Council Framework for Action on Enhanced Black Carbon and Methane Emissions Reductions

Subject category:
Climate Change
Type of agreement / instrument:
Multilateral
Form:
Cooperative Framework
Status:
On April 24, 2015, Arctic Council Ministers welcomed the Framework and agreed to its implementation, establishing the Expert Group on Black Carbon and Methane (EGBCM) to carry out this work.
In 2017, Arctic Council Ministers adopted an aspirational collective goal to reduce emissions of black carbon by 25-33% below 2013 levels by 2025. The EGBCM will propose an update to this goal, as well as a potential collective goal on methane, to Arctic Council Ministers at the 2023 Ministerial meeting.
Lead & partner departments:
Lead:
Environment and Climate Change Canada
Partners:
Global Affairs Canada
For further information:
Web links:
Contacts:
ECCC Inquiry Centre
Compendium edition:
June 2022
Reference #:
A60/EN

Plain language summary

The Arctic Council Framework for Action on Enhanced Black Carbon and Methane Emissions Reductions unites the Arctic States, as well as interested non-Arctic States, in the common goal to mitigate climate change and improve air quality via reductions of two short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs).

The Framework was developed and adopted during the last Canadian Chairmanship of the Arctic Council (2013 to 2015), and the Expert Group on Black Carbon and Methane (EGBCM) was established at the Iqaluit Ministerial in support of its implementation. Canada continues to engage actively in the EGBCM, which adopted in 2017 the first pan-Arctic collective, aspirational goal to reduce emissions of black carbon by 25 to 33% below 2013 levels by 2025.

Objective

The Arctic Council Framework for Action on Enhanced Black Carbon and Methane Emissions Reductions (Framework) is a non-legally binding agreement that lays out a common vision for Arctic States with enhanced, ambitious, national and collective action to accelerate the decline in overall black carbon emissions and to significantly reduce overall methane emissions.

Key elements

The Framework contains the following elements:

A common vision: For Arctic States to take enhanced, ambitious, national and collective action to reduce black carbon and methane emissions; to report emission inventories of black carbon and methane to the EGBCM; to adopt a collective goal on black carbon (adopted in 2017) and consider additional goals; share national reports and policies on actions to reduce emissions; and jointly identify recommendations for further reductions.

National Action: Arctic States commit to strengthening national actions, developing and improving emissions inventories and emissions projections for black carbon and methane, and the submissions of national reports to the Arctic Council Secretariat.

Collective Action: The Framework calls for assessing progress on a two-year basis, to inform and engage policy makers. Enhancing collective action also includes improving understanding of black carbon and methane through continued and expanded monitoring, research and scientific efforts, including traditional knowledge, as well as increasing awareness, and carrying out project-based work.

Action by others: The Framework encourages Arctic Council Observer States and organizations to participate in the implementation of the Framework, and includes working with the private sector and other stakeholders, as well as within relevant international fora and agreements.

Expected results

The Expert Group on Black Carbon and Methane (EGBCM) has been established to review, analyze and assess progress towards the common vision of the Framework, and report to Ministers on progress and recommendations for further action.

As part of the Framework, the EGBCM prepares and submits a pan-Arctic report on collective progress to reduce black carbon and methane emissions by Arctic States. This report is produced on a biennial basis and is delivered to Arctic Ministers at each Arctic Council Ministerial.

Canada’s involvement

Under Canada’s chair from 2013 to 2015, the Arctic Council developed this Framework and now actively participates in the Expert Group on Black Carbon and Methane (EGBCM) that supports its implementation. The Framework is important because as an Arctic State, Canada’s Arctic environment, and the health and traditional ways of life of Arctic residents, are disproportionately affected by short-lived climate pollutants, black carbon in particular, due to its additional warming effect when deposited onto snow or ice.

Canada actively participates in the work of the EGBCM; beginning in 2015, Canada has produced a national report on black carbon and methane biennially, and has also contributed to the development of the EGBCM’s Summary of Progress and Recommendations in alternating years. As part of this work, Canada engaged in discussions within the group on the development of a first ambitious, aspirational and quantitative collective goal on black carbon for Arctic states. Canada is engaged in the EGBCM’s planned development of a proposed update to the collective goal on black carbon and development of a new goal on methane.

This Framework complements Canada’s commitments and activities to combat climate change and air pollution.

Results / progress

Activities

Canada currently reports its greenhouse gas emissions including methane to the United National Framework Convention on Climate Change and reports its black carbon emissions to the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe.

As called for in the Framework, Canada provided a summary of these emissions to the Arctic Council Secretariat biennially, beginning in 2015. Canada will continue to submit national inventories in addition to contributing to other reporting activities, including future progress reports, and to the development of recommendations to Arctic Ministers.

Canada supports recommendations put forward by the EGBCM in the Summary of Progress and Recommendations, and is implementing a number of these recommendations domestically.

Reports

The Arctic Council maintains an online archive of national reports and summary reports submitted to the Arctic Council to meet the commitments of the Framework.

Canada submitted its third biennial National Report on Enhanced Black Carbon and Methane to the Arctic Council Secretariat as required under the Framework, and continues to submit national reports biennially. The fourth biennial report will be published in 2022.

Results

Canada’s engagement under the Arctic Council’s Framework on Black Carbon and Methane provides an opportunity to influence action to reduce emissions of black carbon and methane in Arctic States and participating non-Arctic States. This engagement contributes to Canada’s broader climate and air quality-related goals.

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