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Super pollutants: The 'emergency brake' to slow global warming

The climate science community has long known about super pollutants. The has reported on their warming potential for years. But only recently has momentum built around the urgent need to act—particularly on methane, which has over .

But action to address the health impacts of super pollutants is lagging behind. Methane, for instance, isn't directly harmful to breathe, so it's often overlooked in air quality discussions. But methane plays a key role in forming tropospheric ozone which is harmful. Black carbon is more familiar to health researchers, but its specific health impacts aren't well understood. Tropospheric ozone has been regulated for decades, yet its formation and effects are complex and under-monitored.

What's missing is a joined-up approach. Climate and health communities often work separately even though many super pollutants affect both areas. Organizations like the have been calling for a —a holistic view that recognizes how climate and air quality policies intersect.

Real-world solutions already making a difference

Targeting super pollutants is a unique opportunity and could be the emergency brake we need to slow global warming. Because many are short-lived, —both for the climate and for human health. Unlike CO₂, which lingers in the atmosphere for centuries, cutting super pollutants can slow warming in the near term. That gives us a better chance at managing we're already facing today.

From a health perspective, the benefits are immediate. Reducing black carbon and ozone improves air quality, which means fewer respiratory illnesses, heart conditions and premature deaths. Because air pollution crosses borders, in regions like South-East Asia, coordinated action could transform public health outcomes.

And there's an economic case too. Cleaner air means lower health care costs and higher productivity. The Climate and Clean Air Coalition will shortly be releasing a report on the cost of inaction, and early findings suggest the savings from reducing super pollutants could be substantial.

Six ways to take action on super pollutants

From researchers to policymakers and governments, we all have an opportunity to help pull the emergency brake on global warming through action on super pollutants. Our focus is on six key areas:

1. Raise awareness: many policymakers aren't familiar with super pollutants. That needs to change. Whether you work in agriculture, transport, energy or public health—these pollutants are relevant to your field.

2. Improve measurement: we can't manage what we don't measure. Better monitoring—through satellites, sensors and local networks—is essential to understand where emissions are coming from and how to reduce them.

3. Integrate policies: climate and air quality policies must be designed together. The is a great example—by supporting countries to tackle air pollution through coordinated, cross-sector action, it's helping to deliver both health and climate benefits at the same time.

4. Support research: we still have unanswered questions—like how toxic black carbon is compared to PM2.5, or how to disentangle the health effects of heat waves from those of tropospheric ozone. Filling these gaps will help us target interventions more effectively.

5. Embed in national plans: super pollutants should be included in updated national climate action plans, due this year under the Paris agreement. The inclusion of is a positive sign.

6. Engage the private sector: companies can lead by measuring and reporting their non-COâ‚‚ emissions.

The impacts of super pollutants are all around us—from the air we breathe to the climate we're trying to stabilize. By acting now, we can deliver fast, tangible benefits to improve people's health and save lives.

This is not just a climate issue. It's a health issue. It's an equity issue. And it's an opportunity we can't afford to miss.