Super Pollutants

Significant, sustained reductions in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions will be the foundation for any successful climate strategy.

CATF advocates for super pollutant emissions reductions in the U.S. and internationally by supporting scientific research, promoting policy initiatives, encouraging the development of financial incentives for pollution controls, and championing and defending standards that can dramatically reduce emissions of these climate super pollutants.

What are Super Pollutants?

The Latest in Super Pollutants

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Super Pollutants

United Nations’ International Maritime Organization Fails to Take Effective Action on the Arctic Climate Crisis

Last month, after five years of extensive deliberations and calls from Indigenous communities and environmental organizations to ban the use of heavy fuel oil by ships operating in the Arctic, the United Nations’ International Maritime Organization formally adopted a partial ban that is filled with loopholes that will leave the Arctic vulnerable to the risks

July 13, 2021 Super Pollutants

Bipartisan U.S. House of Representatives vote reinstates methane standards, clearing path for stronger EPA rules

WASHINGTON, June 25, 2021 – Today, using powers granted in the Congressional Review Act (CRA), a bipartisan group of U.S. representatives voted to restore 2016 standards to reduce methane emissions from the oil and gas sector. The House vote follows bipartisan Senate approval of the same measure in April. With President Biden’s signature, the resolution will clear a path for strong EPA regulations to […]

June 25, 2021 Super Pollutants

Massive Quantity of Methane Emissions Documented Across Europe at Oil & Gas Facilities

BRUSSELS – Using a state-of-the-art infrared camera, Clean Air Task Force has documented methane emissions leaking or venting from oil & gas facilities all over Europe. So far, the organization has visited over 150 sites in seven European countries and found harmful, invisible methane pollution at the vast majority of sites. Today, Clean Air Task […]

June 24, 2021 Super Pollutants

CATF Testimony: EPA Listening Sessions on Regulating Methane Emissions from the Oil and Gas Sector

Clean Air Task Force experts gave the following testimony at the June 15th EPA listening session on regulating methane emissions from the U.S. oil and gas sector. Sarah Smith, Program Director, Super Pollutants: Good afternoon. My name is Sarah Smith, and I appreciate the opportunity to speak on behalf of Clean Air Task Force, where […]

June 15, 2021 Super Pollutants

The U.S. oil patch is the Wild West. We need regulation to control the sector’s methane emissions.

Scrutiny of the U.S. oil and gas sector has never been more intense. A majority of ExxonMobil’s shareholders recently voted to oust three board members over the company’s poor performance on climate change. A shareholder proposal to cut the company’s GHG emissions reached a majority as well. And a Dutch court ruled Shell was contributing to climate change and ordered it […]

June 14, 2021 Super Pollutants

New analysis reveals stark disparities in methane emissions and emissions intensity between major oil and gas operators

BOSTON – A first-of-its-kind analysis from Ceres and the Clean Air Task Force provides investors, operators, natural gas purchasers, policymakers and regulators with the data needed to directly compare relative emissions intensity and total reported methane, carbon dioxide, and nitrous oxide emissions for nearly 300 U.S. oil and gas producers. The results reveal dramatic variability […]

June 1, 2021

Our Efforts

CATF’s super pollutant initiatives are aimed at reducing pollutants that will have the greatest impact on warming the planet over the near term and offer the most promising targets for immediate cleanup. Taken together, efforts to reduce super pollutants globally could prevent more than half a degree C of warming along with numerous other public health and ecological benefits. CATF’s efforts target two of the most concerning short-lived climate pollutants, methane and black carbon. Because these pollutants have a much shorter atmospheric lifespan than CO₂, significant cuts in their emissions will yield much faster reductions in planetary warming, as compared to reductions in CO₂.

CATF is actively advocating for super pollutant emission reductions in international and domestic venues, supporting scientific research, promoting policy initiatives, encouraging the development of financial incentives for pollution controls, and championing and defending standards that can dramatically reduce emissions of these significant climate pollutants. CATF is currently focused on reducing methane emissions from the oil and gas sector and black carbon emissions from oil and gas flaring and the shipping industry as these offer the most promising targets for immediate cleanup through low-cost solutions and readily implementable policy changes.

En Español: Iniciativas de CATF en materia de Contaminantes Climáticos de Vida Corta

Our Goal

Catalyze deep, global reductions in methane and black carbon emissions to help stave off the risk of irreversible changes to our climate.

Our Impact In

Scope of Work
Achievements

Scope of Work

Research & Analysis: CATF investigates and reports on the negative health and environmental impacts of super pollutants. CATF also evaluates available emission control technologies and techniques to formulate best practices for controlling emissions.

Policy Advocacy: CATF works to develop and implement policy and regulatory solutions for cutting super pollutant emissions that can be applied both in the U.S. as well as internationally. CATF’s main focus is on the oil and gas sector as there is potential for significant reductions in emissions by implementing policies that are based on common sense practices and low cost emission control measures.

Education & Outreach: CATF plays a lead role in several coalitions focused on super pollutant emission cuts, engaging in public education and stakeholder outreach. CATF leads workshops and events to educate other NGOs, governing bodies, industry leaders, and other key allies around the world on the impacts of super pollutants and the best policies and practices for reducing emissions.

Litigation: CATF attorneys represent other NGO client organizations in judicial proceedings and CATF provides expert legal and technical input to the U.S. EPA, Bureau of Land Management, and other regulatory bodies on their super pollutant policies.

Achievements

Moved black carbon and methane into mainstream of global environmental campaigning.
Helped enact first-ever emission standards on ocean-going ships at the International Maritime Organization.
Spurred creation of the global Climate & Clean Air Coalition to drive national action and provide technical assistance for key super pollutant emission reductions.
Put super pollutant emission reductions at the center of climate discussions at the Arctic Council.
Launched and led an eight-year U.S. Diesel Clean-Up Campaign resulting in many state and federal initiatives including emission limits and over $2 billion in funding that today is substantially reducing U.S. diesel emissions.
Catalyzed formation of the U.S. Methane Partners Campaign in 2014, which secured first-ever U.S. federal methane pollution standards for the oil and gas industry in 2016.
Helped successfully defend EPA’s methane rule from all attacks to date by the current administration.
Supported adoption of strong, nationwide oil and gas methane standards in Mexico and Canada.
CATF has been asked to work with many additional nations on oil and gas methane reduction strategies and regulations, with a deep focus currently on Europe and Latin America and emerging projects in other regions.

Project
U.S. Oil and Gas

Emissions from fossil fuel production and transport — especially methane released from oil and gas wells and the processing and transport of natural gas — account for a great deal of climate-warming pollution. Oil and gas companies also leak, flare, and vent billions of dollars’ worth of natural gas, containing methane, in the U.S. every year. CATF has advocated that the U.S. EPA and Department of the Interior require common sense and low-cost measures to reduce methane pollution and waste.

Learn more about our U.S. oil and gas work
Project
International Oil and Gas

CATF’s global methane work seeks to significantly slash as well as prevent increases in methane emissions from oil and gas development. In countries where development is likely to begin or expand, CATF aims to ensure that environmental impacts are minimized through the application of modern technologies and practices and the regulatory knowledge developed over the last 20 years. CATF’s current international work focuses on three key areas where significant progress can be made in preventing and reducing emissions: Canada, Mexico, and South America. In addition, CATF is working with the Arctic Council, the Climate and Clean Air Coalition, and other international bodies to make methane emission reductions a focus of their work.

Learn more about our international oil and gas work
Project
Other Sources of Methane

While the oil and gas industry is the number one industrial source of methane pollution, reductions in other sectors are not only economically justified but absolutely necessary to realize necessary emission reductions. Substantial emissions also come from dams, coal mining operations, landfills, wastewater treatment, and manure management operations. CATF has worked to develop an understanding of methane emissions from these other sources including technologies and best practices and the barriers to using them, and we work to develop and implement policy and regulatory solutions that can be applied both in the U.S. as well as internationally.

Learn more about other sources of methane

Project
Shipping

Currently, CATF is working to reduce black carbon emissions from the shipping sector and is committed to securing a legally binding phase out of the use of heavy fuel oil (HFO) in Arctic waters. This effort is particularly critical given the rapid rate of warming in the Arctic and the numerous threats that the use of HFO as bunker fuel poses to the Arctic region.

Learn more about our shipping work
CATF Tool
Country Methane Abatement Tool

CATF’s Country Methane Abatement Tool (CoMAT) – lets countries estimate how much methane pollution they can reduce from their oil and gas industries even when they have limited information about the industry and its current emissions.

Learn more about CoMAT

Dive Deeper

Related Resources

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Fact Sheet

Super Pollutants

The Latest in Super Pollutants

United Nations’ International Maritime Organization Fails to Take Effective Action on the Arctic Climate Crisis

Bipartisan U.S. House of Representatives vote reinstates methane standards, clearing path for stronger EPA rules

Massive Quantity of Methane Emissions Documented Across Europe at Oil & Gas Facilities

CATF Testimony: EPA Listening Sessions on Regulating Methane Emissions from the Oil and Gas Sector

The U.S. oil patch is the Wild West. We need regulation to control the sector’s methane emissions.

New analysis reveals stark disparities in methane emissions and emissions intensity between major oil and gas operators

Our Efforts

Our Goal