Emission inventories of Short Lived Climate Pollutants (SLCP), and especially of Black Carbon (BC), are uncertain and not always comparable. Comparable and reliable emission inventories are essential when aiming for efficient strategies and policies for reduced emissions. This report presents the Nordic emissions and emission inventories of SLCP, the important emission sources and their development over time. It also discusses knowledge gaps, factors contributing to the uncertainties, and possibilities for improved emission estimates. The overall objective of the three-year project is to improve the Nordic emission inventories of Short Lived Climate Pollutants (SLCP), with a focus on Black Carbon (BC). This report presents the results from the first phase of the project, an analysis of the present status of knowledge, with focus on BC and particulate matter (PM2.5) emissions from residential biomass combustion, on-road and non-road diesel vehicles, and shipping. The next phase will draw on the results from this background analysis in designing and implementing an emission measurement program, where the objective is to expand the knowledge and develop well documented and reliable emission factors, primarily for BC, for use in future national emission inventories.

Emission inventories of Short Lived Climate Pollutants (SLCP), and especially of Black Carbon are uncertain and not always comparable between countries. Comparable and reliable emission inventories are essential when aiming for efficient strategies and policies for reduced emissions. The overall objective of this project is to improve the Nordic emission inventories of SLCPs. This report presents a summary of results and highlights from four reports produced in the project. The topics cover results from a measurement programme that provided SLCP and PM2.5 emission factors for typical Nordic residential biomass combustion technologies, it covers emission projections and efficient measures to reduce emissions of SLCPs beyond current projections, and also presents results from investigating the potentials for reducing the health and climate impacts of residential biomass combustion.

The overall goal of the project is to stimulate decision-makers in Belarus to prioritize abatement measures aimed at black carbon in their efforts to reduce emissions of PM2.5, as encouraged in the Gothenburg protocol under the UNECE CLRTAP. To reach this purpose and in order to build up scientific basis necessary for further policy development, a comprehensive analysis of PM2.5 and BC emissions, emission reduction potentials and cost-effective abatement measures in Belarus has been conducted. The report presents two main parts of the conducted analysis: a part focused on the emission inventories, and a part summarizing the results of the integrated assessment modelling. The main focus is on analysis for Belarus; however, a range of modelling results have been obtained for the three participating Nordic countries -- Denmark, Finland and Sweden.

In the future residential biomass combustion and transport will be important sources for emissions to air of black carbon (BC), as will agriculture and waste management for emissions of methane (CH4). Measures to abate emissions of Short-Lived Climate Pollutants (SLCP) are to varying degrees already in place in the Nordic countries. To reduce emissions beyond current emission projections, additional measures are required. Both technical measures, such as improved technologies, and non-technical measures, such as promoting behavioral changes favoring reduced emissions are discussed in this report. The overall objective of this project is to improve the Nordic emission inventories of Short Lived Climate Pollutants. This report presents results from the third and final phase of the project, an assessment of efficient measures to reduce emissions of Short-Lived Climate Pollutants (SLCP) in the Nordic countries.

Residential biomass combustion is a major source of PM2.5 and SLCP (Short Lived Climate Pollutants) emissions in Denmark, Finland and Sweden. SLCPs and PM2.5 have impact on climate, environment and health. When developing strategies for reduced emissions, reliable information on current emissions and assessments for how they can be reduced is essential. This report presents recommendations for how to further improve national activity data collection procedures for less uncertain emission inventory results. It also presents scenario results with estimated technical potentials for reduced emissions of SLCPs and PM2.5 from residential biomass combustion, transformed into potential impact on health and climate effects in 2035.

The food system is responsible for some of society’s most pressing sustainability challenges. Diets are currently unsustainable in many countries as evidenced by the growing burden of malnutrition, degradation of natural resources, contributions to climate change, and unaffordability of healthy diets. There is an urgent need to address the gaps in understanding of what a sustainable food system means across varying populations and geographies and how we can better measure these systems, while identifying how dietary choices impact on human health and the environment. However, decision makers and experts are questioning whether it is possible to meet environmental, social, and economic goals simultaneously, or whether trade-offs are necessary. Thus, the development of better measurements and indicators to clearly understand the benefits and considerations for healthy and sustainable food systems is needed.

Short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs), including methane, black carbon, hydrofluorocarbons, and tropospheric ozone, have become part of climate policy debates. Discussion has revolved around the potential of their mitigation to slow down global warming in the short term and bring about co-benefits, for instance, for air quality and public health. This book provides the first comprehensive analysis of global SLCP law and governance. A diverse array of contributors delves into the science and evolution of the concept of SLCPs, analyses the legal and governance responses developed under various international and transnational arenas, and discusses selected sectoral case studies.