Black carbon casts a deadly shadow worldwide, from the sprawl of Los Angeles, to the slums of Mumbai, to the Arctic ice that sustains polar bears and other wildlife. Quick action to cut black carbon can slow Arctic melting, fight global warming and save lives.

And you can help make it happen.

Last month the nations of the Arctic Council, including the United States, met in Norway and agreed to undertake a two-year study on black carbon's role in global warming, and what can be done to control it. The same week, Nobel laureate al Gore called for the world to burn less diesel fuel and wood to reduce black carbon emissions. And four U.S. senators, including John Kerry and Barbara Boxer, introduced legislation directing the EPA to study the problem.

That's all good. But studies aren't enough. We must urge the United States to take action now to reduce black carbon emissions at home and abroad. We must encourage EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson to continue cracking down on diesel and other dirty fuels, and encourage Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to make the U.S. a global leader on this issue.

Here's what you should know:

• The chief culprit in global warming is carbon dioxide. But recent studies show that black carbon—microscopic airborne particles commonly known as soot—is also a big factor. Black carbon may account for as much as half of Arctic warming. Curbing black carbon is crucial for slowing Arctic and global warming, and for averting catastrophic tipping points such as the melting of sea ice and the Greenland ice sheet.
  
  
• Black carbon comes from diesel engines, industrial smokestacks and residential cooking and heating stoves. Most black carbon that falls in the Arctic comes from North America, Europe and Asia. Because black carbon air pollution is also a leading cause of respiratory illness and death, controlling emissions will save lives and improve health around the world. In India alone, black carbon-laden indoor smoke is responsible for over 400,000 premature deaths annually, mostly of women and children.

The U.S. and Europe must lead on this issue by committing to stricter standards at home for diesel engines and other sources of black carbon pollution, and by committing to increased financial and technological assistance to the developing world to reduce black carbon pollution from diesel, home cooking and heating and other sources.

It's important that Secretary Clinton and Administrator Jackson know you want them to act—now.

Sample Letter for Campaign

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

Rapid reduction of black carbon emissions is a key component of an effective, early action response strategy to slow global and Arctic warming, avert potentially catastrophic tipping points, and provide immediate health benefits in countries that implement mitigation measures.

Sec. Clinton: As coauthor of S. 3489 in the 110th Congress, you have shown leadership on this issue. Now it is crucial that the United States show global leadership. I urge you to work for a black carbon action plan that includes:

-- Adoption of the recommendations of leading climate scientists at the workshop on Short-Lived Pollutants and Arctic Climate held in September 2008 in Oslo, including immediate implementation of a black carbon reduction strategy for key sources like diesel engines, agricultural burning and marine vessels.

-- Increased support for technology transfer for the mitigation of black carbon emissions in the developing countries. This includes clean diesel technology, air pollution control technology for dirty industrial facilities, and resources for transitioning to cleaner residential heating and cook stoves. Reducing adoption costs for poor households, and supporting development of in-country manufacturing capacity is key.

-- Increased funding for regional air pollution control measures in developing countries, and for the development of regional and global frameworks for integrated approaches for mitigating air pollution and climate change.

Administrator Jackson: The United States must show leadership by immediately implementing reductions here at home, beginning with tightening particulate matter emissions standards for diesel engines, including use of shore power for ships at berth; increasing transportation efficiency through retrofits and turnover of pre-1994 trucks and ocean-going vessel speed reduction; heavy-duty vehicle emission reductions; and, the adoption of special black carbon mitigation initiatives for the American Arctic.

Thank you for your leadership on black carbon and your work to make the United States a leader in the fight against global warming.

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
April 23, 2009