Super pollutants: the ‘emergency brake’ to slow global warming

If we’re serious about protecting people’s health and slowing climate change, it’s time to get serious about super pollutants. These powerful pollutants – like methane, black carbon, and tropospheric ozone – are driving rapid warming and harming lives right now. They trap heat far more effectively than CO₂ and contribute significantly to air pollution. The good news? Tackling them offers one of the fastest ways to slow global warming and improve public health.

The climate science community has long known about super pollutants. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) 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 86 times the warming power of CO₂ over a 20-year period.

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. Organisations like the Climate and Clean Air Coalition have been calling for a “one atmosphere” approach – a holistic view that recognises how climate and air quality policies intersect. 

There are already promising examples of action. Clean air regulations in places like California have led to the shutdown of coal-fired power plants, reducing black carbon emissions. Innovations in brick kiln design – such as zigzag construction – have significantly cut black carbon in parts of South Asia.

Tropospheric ozone is trickier. It’s not emitted directly but formed from other pollutants, which can travel across borders. That means regional cooperation is essential. California, Mexico and the EU have made progress through coordinated air quality monitoring and regulation.

Methane is gaining attention too, thanks in part to new satellite technology that allows us to pinpoint emissions more accurately. But more needs to be done to measure and manage these pollutants globally.

Targeting super pollutants is a unique opportunity and could be the emergency brake we need to slow global warming. Because many are short-lived, reducing them can deliver rapid benefits – 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 the health impacts of the warming 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 healthcare 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.

From researchers to policy makers 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 policy makers 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 Africa Clean Air Programme 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 heatwaves 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 super pollutants in several national action plans is a positive sign.  

6. Engage the private sector: companies can lead by measuring and reporting their non-CO₂ emissions. IKEA, for example, is already taking steps in this direction.

The impacts of super pollutants are all around us – from the air we breathe to the climate we’re trying to stabilise. 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.