Black Carbon Mitigation and the Role of the Global Environment Facility: A STAP Advisory Document

Black carbon (BC) is formed by the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels and biomass. It is the most strongly light-absorbing component of fine particulate matter, and a local and regional air pollutant. It is also a short-lived climate pollutant (SLCP) with a lifetime of only days to weeks after release into the atmosphere. During that short period, it can have significant direct and indirect radiative forcing (warming) effects that contribute to anthropogenic climate change at regional and global scales. Black carbon also accelerates the rapid melting of the cryosphere, particularly in the Himalayas and the Arctic, adding urgency to the need to decrease emissions into the atmosphere. All SLCPs should be considered since the impact of each species is highly complex on the local and global atmosphere and demands specific options for emissions control and measurement techniques. This guidance note concentrates solely on black carbon to impart a more in-depth review of this important species.