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An EU Initiative to Support International Policy to Reduce Black Carbon


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Press release: Actions on black carbon – a short term complement to mitigate Arctic warming
30.06.21
Link to Press release: Actions on black carbon – a short term complement to mitigate Arctic warmingDigital map of elements in the policy landscape for action on black carbon in the Arctic
30.06.21
Link to Digital map of elements in the policy landscape for action on black carbon in the ArcticVideo highlights from EUA-BCA's virtual forum
03.06.21
Link to Video highlights from EUA-BCA's virtual forumThe EU-funded Action on Black Carbon
The EU-funded Action on Black Carbon in the Arctic is an initiative sponsored by the European Union to contribute to the development of collective responses to reduce black carbon emissions in the Arctic and to reinforce international cooperation to protect the Arctic environment. It provides and communicates knowledge about sources and emissions of black carbon and supports relevant international policy processes.
- Supporting processes aimed at setting clear commitments and/or targets for reducing black carbon emissions from major BC sources (gas flaring, domestic heating, maritime shipping).
- Enhancing international cooperation on black carbon policy in the Arctic region – with a special focus on supporting the work of the Arctic Council and Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution and other national, regional and international initiatives, and building strong collaboration with EU strategic partners
AMAP Secretariat is responsible for managing project implementation, and working with the six implementing partners in the Action:
- Carbon Limits, Norway
- Environment Agency of Austria (EAA)
- Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE)
- International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA)
- Norwegian Institute for Air Research (NILU)
- Swedish Environmental Research Institute (IVL)

An EU Partnership Action
The EU-funded Action on Black Carbon in the Arctic is implemented through the EU Partnership Instrument providing 1.5 million EUR of funding during 2018-2020.

Domestic Heating
Wood stoves and the burning of coal to heat homes emit black carbon to the atmosphere and can be a health hazard.
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Gas Flaring
Flaring is used extensively in the oil and gas industry to burn unwanted flammable gases and a major source of black carbon emissions affecting Arctic regions.
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Maritime Shipping
Expected increases in shipping in the Arctic could lead to much higher emissions of black carbon in the Arctic than today.
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Diesel engines
Diesel engines used in heavy road vehicles, ships and machinery constitute a significant source of black carbon in the Arctic.
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Open Burning
Wildfires and agricultural fires may be underestimated sources of black carbon emissions that pollutes the Arctic
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Policy Action
The road towards reduced emission of black carbon include applying the best available technologies and practices
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EUA-BCA Policy landscape report - Summary
Summary of the report: Enhancing the reduction of black carbon emissions to protect the Arctic: Mapping the policy landscape of national, regional, and international action
Enhancing the reduction of black carbon emissions to protect the Arctic: Mapping the policy landscape of national, regional, and international action. EU-funded Action on Black Carbon in the Arctic
EUA-BCA, 2021. Enhancing the reduction of black carbon emissions to protect the Arctic: Mapping the policy landscape of national, regional, and international action. EU-funded Action on Black Carbon in the Arctic – Technical Report 5. June 2021. 22pp.
EUA-BCA Stakeholder Analysis Report
This report is a part of the EUA-BCA final deliverables series including several reports and digital products in support of policy actions and increasing international cooperation with the target of reducing negative impacts from black carbon emissions in the Arctic. The stakeholder analysis was done to identify which stakeholders would be important in the process to Increase coordination of Arctic black carbon policies and to some extent to Facilitate early emission reductions of black carbon affecting the Arctic. The analysis included 95 Arctic-relevant stakeholders, categorised in six groups: Intergovernmental organisations, National authorities, Indigenous people’s organisations, Expert and working groups, Non-governmental organisations, and Industry. The analysis supporting the results above was made by quantitatively ranking each stakeholder over three dimensions: Power, Interest, and Network capacity. The stakeholder analysis indicates that there are some stakeholders that appear more important to include in the process to increase coordination of Arctic black carbon policies and to facilitate early emission reduction of black carbon affecting the Arctic.
Elements in the policy landscape for action on black carbon in the Arctic
This report is a part of the EUA-BCA final deliverables series including several reports and digital products in support of policy actions and increasing international cooperation with the target of reducing negative impacts from black carbon emissions in the Arctic. The aim of this report is to summarise information about relevant policy actions to reduce black carbon emissions from key polluting sectors, as well as options to better monitor how different initiatives affect black carbon emissions and their environmental and health effects. Several relevant policy areas are identified – In situ observations of black carbon in the Arctic, black carbon emission inventories, Gas flaring, Small-scale domestic heating, Shipping, On-and off-road engines, and Open biomass burning. Within these areas, possible actions are described in detail and presented in terms of their time horizon, societal impact, jurisdictional scope and relevant policy fora. The presented actions can act as a reference list of options for interested policymakers, synthesising existing knowledge about relevant policy actions rather than giving prescriptive recommendations on which of them to implement. This report serves as a background document to the EUA-BCA Policy landscape report that informs on possible ways to implement these actions in practice and clarify how enhanced international cooperation would contribute to actions in the key area.
Review of Observation Capacities and Data Availability for Black Carbon in the Arctic region
Review of observation capacities and data availability for Black Carbon in the Arctic region: EU Action on Black Carbon in the Arctic - Technical Report 1
Review of Reporting Systems for National Black Carbon Emissions Inventories
Review of Reporting Systems for National Black Carbon Emissions Inventories: EU-funded Action on Black Carbon in the Arctic - Technical Report 2
Best Available Techniques Economically Achievable to Address Black Carbon from Gas Flaring (available in English and Russian)
Best Available Techniques Economically Achievable to Address Black Carbon from Gas Flaring: EU-funded Action on Black Carbon in the Arctic – Technical Report 3
Reducing Black Carbon Emissions from Residential Heating in the Arctic
Reducing Black Carbon Emissions from Residential Heating in the Arctic. EU-funded Action on Black Carbon in the Arctic – Technical Report 4