U.S. Will Push Arctic Council for Cuts in Black Carbon, Methane

摘要

The U.S. will use its two-year chairmanship of the Arctic Council to press for significant action in cutting black carbon and methane, two short-lived but powerful greenhouse gases that contribute to rapid melting of sea ice in the region, Secretary of State John Kerry said. The U.S. has been laying the groundwork for using the chairmanship to highlight the need for action on the two super pollutants since last summer, when it named Adm. Robert Papp Jr. as U.S. special representative to the council. On curbing emissions, a senior State Department official told reporters hours before Kerry spoke that the U.S. will push for reductions in gas flaring, particularly in the Arctic during oil exploration. Other actions will include the development of a "pan-Arctic digital elevation map" that will assist policy makers and scientists in monitoring reductions in sea ice and other environmental impacts in the region, the official said. The U.S. priorities are seen as a departure from the economic development focus that has been central to Canada's chairmanship over the last two years, which included the creation of the Arctic Economic Council and adopted the theme "Development for the People of the North" for its 2013-2015 chairmanship, thus highlighting economic development issues within the Arctic Council.