CCAC - Climate and Clean Air Coalition Initiative

Italy, through the Ministry for the Environment, joined the Climate and Clean Air Coalition, in 2012, to reduce short-lived climate pollutants (CCAC).

The coalition aims to reduce the so called Short-Lived Climate Pollutant (SLCP): atmospheric pollutants of anthropic origin that have a relatively short lifetime  in the atmosphere  compared to the other greenhouse gases (i.e. carbon dioxide), but which have a relevant impact on global warming and adverse effects on human health. The main SLCPs are black carbon, methane and fluorinated gases including hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). According to their characteristics, reducing the presence of SLCP in the atmosphere could have positive effects over the medium term.

The initiative is intended to be "complementary" to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) process, and synergistic in respect to the Montreal Protocol objectives, as the reduction of HFC production and consumption is concerned.

Up to 2015, the Ministry for the Environment has contributed to the Coalition fund with € 510,000, giving priority to four CCAC initiatives aimed at: reducing HFC emissions (in particular through the promotion of alternative technologies); reduce emissions from the "oil and gas" industry operations; limiting methane and black carbon emissions from the agricultural sector; reducing SLCP emissions in cities with particular reference to transport, waste, building, health and energy sectors.