Co-benefits - Bringing Climate and Development Together in Asia

Recent advances in atmospheric science demonstrate some air pollutants pose an immediate threat to local and national air quality while also disrupting regional and global climate systems. Those advances have led to calls for mitigating short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs) such as black carbon and tropospheric ozone (O3). IGES research on air pollution co-benefits aims to bridge science and policy on SLCPs in Asia. IGES also serves as a non-state member of the Climate Change and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC), a voluntary multilateral initiative promoting actions that reduce SLCPs.

Women typically play an important role in mitigating greenhouse gases (GHGs), but often lack the incentives and training to access climate finance. IGES research on gender co-benefits seeks to expand access to climate finance for women in Asia. This research is implemented as part of an Asian Development Bank (ADB) technical assistance project. The project is funded by the Nordic Development Fund (NDF).

Many of Asia's cities are experiencing the social and environmental costs of rapid urbanization. In consequence, policymakers in Asia are increasingly confronted with the following dilemma: how to improve mobility, energy security, and air quality while reducing fossil fuel consumption and GHG emissions? IGES research on urban co-benefits seeks to develop tools and training to quantify co-benefits; and propose policy and institutional reforms needed to realize estimated reductions.

A growing number of countries and international initiatives promote a co-benefits approach. However, the lack of a mechanism to share information and facilitate dialogue on these issues has limited the integration of co-benefits into policies. With this background, the Asian Co-benefits Partnership was launched in November 2010 with the support of the Japanese Ministry of the Environment to improve knowledge management and stakeholder cooperation on co-benefits in Asia.

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1. UNFCCC COP19 Side Event (19 Nov. 2013)
       Mitigating Short-lived Climate Pollutants (SLCPs) in Asia: Challenges and Opportunities


2. International Conference (29 Sep. - 4 Oct. 2013)
      Participation in the 16th IUAPPA World Clean Air Congress


3. Learning Programme (13 Sep. - 16 Dec. 2013)
      IGES-TERI-TDLC kick-off blended e-learning course "Science and Policy of Climate Change 2013"


4. Inception Workshop (3 Apr. 2013, Viet Nam)
     Harnessing Climate Change Mitigation Initiatives To Benefit Women   : Meeting Summary (58KB)


5. Inception Workshop (1 Apr. 2013, Cambodia)
     Harnessing Climate Change Mitigation Initiatives to Benefit Women   : Meeting Summary (55KB)


6. Inception Workshop (27 Mar. 2013, Lao PDR)
     Harnessing Climate Change Mitigation Initiatives to Benefit Women   : Meeting Summary (59KB)


7. Workshop (9 Feb. 2012)    Transport Sector and NAMAs: Assessing Data Readiness for MRV


8. IGES Pre-Event at Better Air Quality (BAQ) 2010 (8 Nov. 2010)
      Accounting for Co-benefits in Asia's Transportation Sector: Methods and Applications


9. Press Release (15 Nov. 2010)
      Regarding the Establishment of an Asian Co-benefits Partnership