UN urges nations to "tackle air pollution"

This time they don't mean that harmless trace gas, carbon dioxide. They mean real pollution, i.e. particulates and toxins. This looks like it might be another desperate tactic to blackmail governments into tackling CO2 emissions by linking it with reducing pollution.

We're all in favour of cleaner air, but would we spend billions of dollars on marginal improvements on air quality? Surely we're spending billions of dollars to "save the planet" from "dangerous climate change"? Be warned - usual Age alarmism alert:

Countries could speed up their action against climate change if they tackled air pollution as well as carbon dioxide emissions, the UN Environment Program says.

UNEP executive director Achim Steiner says there's strong evidence that the world's climate is changing faster than initially expected [really? Show me - Ed], adding to the urgency for concrete measures against global warming.

"It is... becoming clear that the world must also deploy all available means to combat climate change," Steiner said on Friday. [No exaggeration there, clearly - Ed]

"At this critical juncture, every transformative measure and no substance contributing to climate change should be overlooked."

Troubled negotiations on emissions targets in climate change talks are focusing on carbon dioxide, but scientists estimate that nearly 50 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions come from other compounds, according to UNEP.

The agency believes that national efforts to control the pollutants - such as black carbon or soot, low level ozone or smog, methane and nitrogen compounds - could simultaneously generate health and economic savings as well, and address other environmental concerns.

Read it here.