The Clean Air Fund has announced a multi-million-pound programme focused on reducing emissions of black carbon.

Black carbon (often known as soot) is a fine particulate matter formed by the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels, biofuels, and biomass. It is a potent, if short lived, ‘super pollutant’ that drives both global warming and poor air quality.

As it only remains in the atmosphere for a short time, targeting black carbon and other super-pollutants can act as an ‘emergency brake’ on climate change, delivering rapid benefits for people’s health and the planet. Analysis shows a 70 per cent black carbon emissions reduction is technically feasible by 2030 relative to 2010 levels.

With £10m in funding from Wellcome, the programme will help close critical evidence gaps on black carbon’s health and climate impacts to enable more effective, data-driven policy and regulatory interventions.

“Reducing black carbon, alongside other super pollutants [such as methane and tropospheric ozone], is the fastest, most effective way to slow climate change, and reap huge benefits for people’s health. Thanks to Wellcome, this programme will provide the evidence for action where it’s most needed, in places where the impacts of air pollution are hitting hardest.” said Jane Burston, CEO at Clean Air Fund.

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