Efforts to address super pollutants gained momentum this month as governments, companies, and international organisations introduced new initiatives targeting methane, refrigerants, and black carbon emissions, according to multiple programme updates and official reports.

New Global Coordination On Methane Regulation

In Paris, the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) and the International Energy Agency (IEA) launched the Methane Regulator-to-Regulator (MR2R) Network. The platform is designed for governments to share approaches on methane leak detection, reporting standards, and enforcement practices.

Separately, new datasets from the United Nations Environment Programme’s International Methane Emissions Observatory (IMEO) Methane Alert and Response System identified major methane emission sources globally, including in energy and waste sectors. Regional policy dialogues in Asia and the Pacific also focused on methane reduction strategies involving governments and technical agencies.

Corporate And Policy Measures Expand

A group of companies including Amazon, Google, JPMorgan Chase, Salesforce, Autodesk, Figma, and Workday announced the Superpollutant Action Initiative. The programme includes a pledged $100 million investment through 2030 to support projects aimed at reducing emissions linked to supply chains, including methane and refrigerants.

In China, the Ministry of Ecology and Environment announced measures to phase out production of VRF air-conditioning systems using HCFC-22 by 2027. The policy aligns with international commitments under the Montreal Protocol framework to reduce ozone-depleting substances and greenhouse gases.

Training, Research, And Regional Cooperation Efforts

Several new capacity-building and research initiatives were also introduced. These include an e-learning course on air pollution and business impact developed by the UN Global Compact Academy and partners, and a Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) course on life-cycle assessment methods for greenhouse gas inventories.

Reports and studies released during the period also examined cooling technologies in developing regions, philanthropic funding trends for air quality projects, and circular economy approaches in agriculture. Regional meetings in Africa, Europe, and Asia highlighted ongoing cooperation on methane reduction and sustainable agriculture practices.