Jihed Ghannem, Special Assistant to the Executive Secretary, represented the OSS Secretariat at a science/policy workshop, convened by the Swedish Government on 19-21 October 2009 in Gothenburg. The three-day Air & Climate workshop, held under the auspices of the Swedish Presidency of the European Union, brought together leading experts and researchers, senior administrators and negotiators, international organisations and industry.

Participants focussed on the contribution of air-pollution policies to climate stabilisation and co-control. They also discussed the need for, and feasibility of integrated approaches to climate change mitigation and air pollution abatement.

Eight working groups were formed on: climate benefits and disbenefits of air pollution control; ecosystem interactions (climate feedbacks); health effects of air pollution under a changing climate; sector control policies;  options for developing countries; international platforms; costs and benefits from combined policies; and the practicalities of developing time-framed climate and air policies.

The recommendations formulated at the end of the workshop included the need for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) to consider atmospheric pollutants other than Greenhouse Gases, and to provide guidance to the climate community—and by extension to the whole atmosphere community—on various co-control options such as the control of ozone precursors or Nitrogen management.

There was also a broad agreement on the fact that linkages between climate change and air pollution included common causes and combined effects on human health, hence the need to consider both atmospheric phenomena in an integrated manner.

Another recommendation referred to the need to continue to improve scientific understanding, develop research opportunities for air pollution and climate change co-control. Delegates expressed their determination to put these various issues on the discussion table at COP 15 in Copenhagen and other climate-related international meetings.

The GAP Forum steering committee meeting

On Wednesday 21 October 2009, Jihed Ghannem attended the GAP Forum Steering committee meeting which was held on the fringes of the Air & Climate Workshop. Representatives of a wide range of organisations, including research institutions and environmental agencies took part in the meeting that reviewed the Forum’s activities and took stock of its achievements.

Mr. Ghannem briefed participants on the rationale and the objectives of the Sub-regional Workshop on Better Air Quality in North Africa , which OSS is organising with UNEP, the GAP Forum and a host of other partners and sponsors.