The Most Important Climate Treaty You’ve Never Heard Of

Raise a hand if you've heard of the Gothenburg Protocol.

The Gothenburg Protocol has been helping reduce emissions that cross
borders. It was amended to add black carbon, a short-lived climate
pollutant wreaking havoc on the Arctic.

No? Well, you're in good company. This treaty has been called an "unsung hero" in the fight against air pollution and climate change. It may be unknown in the United States, but it is a landmark international agreement, setting limits on how much black carbon and other pollutants countries can emit.

Black carbon, or soot, is seen as a unique danger to the climate because its ability to accelerate warming in the atmosphere is many times stronger than carbon dioxide. It also speeds up the melting of sea ice. This double-whammy is responsible for a half a degree Celsius of warming in the Arctic so far.

Read the Inside Climate News story by Sabrina Shankman - “The Most Important Climate Treaty You’ve Never Heard Of.”