CCAC NDC Watch – Review of the Latest on Non-CO₂ Pollutants in National Climate Plans – Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC)

European Union’s Climate Commitments and Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Comprehensive Climate Action (SDG 13)

The European Union (EU) has established a legally binding, economy-wide Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) that integrates the mitigation of potent non-CO₂ greenhouse gases, including methane (CH₄), nitrous oxide (N₂O), and hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). This comprehensive approach directly supports the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 13 (Climate Action) by addressing a broad spectrum of climate pollutants.

Strategic Focus on Methane Abatement

The EU’s climate strategy identifies methane reduction as a priority for accelerated action, contributing to multiple SDGs:

• SDG 13 (Climate Action): The EU Methane Regulation targets emissions from the oil, gas, and coal sectors. Projections indicate that regulatory measures, combined with the Fit-for-55 framework, can cost-effectively reduce up to 77% of these sectoral methane emissions by 2030.
• SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy): By regulating methane emissions from fossil fuel value chains, including those embedded in imports, the EU promotes a cleaner energy system and incentivizes the transition away from unabated fossil fuels.
• SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals): The EU demonstrates global leadership as co-chair of the Global Methane Pledge and provides substantial support for international methane abatement through partnerships with the UNEP International Methane Emissions Observatory and the Climate and Clean Air Coalition.

Sector-Specific Initiatives and Broader SDG Impacts

The EU’s NDC outlines targeted measures across key economic sectors, yielding benefits for several Sustainable Development Goals.

1. Industry and Consumption (SDG 12)

   A significantly tightened EU F-gases Regulation establishes a binding trajectory for a complete phase-out of HFCs by 2050. This commitment directly advances SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) by managing harmful chemicals and promoting sustainable industrial practices.

2. Transport Sector (SDG 9 & SDG 11)

   From 2026, maritime emissions of methane and nitrous oxide will be incorporated into the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS). This extension of carbon pricing creates financial incentives for technological innovation and cleaner infrastructure in the transport sector, supporting SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure) and contributing to reduced pollution in port cities, in line with SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities).

3. Agriculture (SDG 2)

   The NDC highlights measures to reduce nitrous oxide emissions through improved fertiliser-use efficiency and advanced soil-management practices. These actions are crucial for promoting sustainable agricultural systems, a key target of SDG 2 (Zero Hunger).

Co-Benefits for Health and Environment (SDG 3)

The transition away from fossil fuels across the energy, transport, industry, and buildings sectors is explicitly linked to significant co-benefits for public health. The NDC recognizes that this shift provides clear advantages for air quality, directly contributing to SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being).

Enhanced Monitoring and Future Action

The EU is strengthening its climate governance by introducing enhanced monitoring of non-CO₂ climate effects from aviation, including soot, water vapour, and nitrous oxides. Mandatory reporting requirements will commence in 2025, ensuring a robust data foundation for future policies aimed at achieving comprehensive climate neutrality and supporting the global SDG framework.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: The article connects the transition from fossil fuels to improved air quality and human health.
• SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy: The focus on reducing emissions from the oil, gas, and coal sectors and the overall “transition away from fossil fuels” relates to shifting towards cleaner energy systems.
• SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure: The article discusses regulations impacting industrial sectors (oil, gas, coal) and transport infrastructure (maritime, aviation) to make them more sustainable.
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities: By addressing emissions from transport and buildings and highlighting benefits for air quality, the article touches upon improving the urban environment.
• SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production: The commitment to phase out HFCs through the EU F-gases Regulation directly addresses the management and elimination of harmful chemicals.
• SDG 13: Climate Action: This is the central theme, with the article detailing the EU’s legally binding mitigation targets for methane, nitrous oxide, and HFCs as part of its climate strategy.
• SDG 15: Life on Land: The mention of agricultural measures, specifically “improved fertiliser-use efficiency and soil-management practices,” connects to sustainable land use.
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals: The article highlights the EU’s international cooperation as “co-chair of the Global Methane Pledge” and its support for global bodies like UNEP and the Climate and Clean Air Coalition.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Target 3.9: Substantially reduce the number of deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and air, water and soil pollution and contamination. The article supports this by stating that the “transition away from fossil fuels provides clear benefits for air quality and human health.”
2. Target 7.2: Increase substantially the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix. This is implicitly addressed through the EU’s actions to reduce emissions in the oil, gas, and coal sectors and the broader “transition away from fossil fuels.”
3. Target 9.4: Upgrade infrastructure and retrofit industries to make them sustainable. The EU Methane Regulation for the oil, gas, and coal sectors and the tightening of the EU F-gases Regulation are direct policy actions towards this target.
4. Target 11.6: Reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to air quality. The article’s focus on reducing emissions from transport and the resulting “clear benefits for air quality” contribute to this target.
5. Target 12.4: Achieve the environmentally sound management of chemicals and all wastes throughout their life cycle. The article details a “binding trajectory culminating in a total HFC phase-out by 2050,” which is a direct measure for this target.
6. Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning. The entire article is an example of this, describing the EU’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) which includes legally binding targets and specific regulations like the EU Methane Regulation.
7. Target 15.3: Combat desertification, restore degraded land and soil… and strive to achieve a land degradation-neutral world. The article mentions “improved fertiliser-use efficiency and soil-management practices” as a measure to mitigate agricultural emissions, which also contributes to soil health.
8. Target 17.16: Enhance the global partnership for sustainable development. This is demonstrated by the EU’s role as “co-chair of the Global Methane Pledge” and its “substantial EU support for global methane abatement” through international organizations.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Reduction in Air Pollutants: While not a formal indicator number, the article implies measurement through “strengthened monitoring of non-CO₂ climate effects from aviation, including soot particles, water vapour, nitrous oxides and oxidised sulphur species.”
• Reduction in Greenhouse Gas Emissions: The article provides several specific, measurable indicators of progress.
  • The projection that “up to 77% of methane emissions in these sectors projected for 2030 can be reduced cost-effectively.”
  • The “quantified mitigation potential linked to nitrous oxide reductions” from improved agricultural practices.
  • The extension of the EU ETS to cover “maritime emissions of methane and nitrous oxide” from 2026, creating a priced-based indicator of emissions.
• Phase-out of Harmful Substances: A clear indicator is the “binding trajectory culminating in a total HFC phase-out by 2050” under the EU F-gases Regulation.
• Policy Integration: The existence of the EU’s NDC and its “legally binding mitigation targets” for methane, nitrous oxide, and HFCs serves as a primary indicator of climate action integration.
• International Cooperation: The active participation and support for the “Global Methane Pledge,” the “UNEP International Methane Emissions Observatory,” and the “Climate and Clean Air Coalition” are qualitative indicators of partnership.

SDGs, Targets, and Indicators Summary

Source: ccacoalition.org