Non-CO₂ greenhouse gases, such as methane, nitrous oxide and fluorinated gases, trap more heat within the atmosphere than CO₂. These gases are emitted from a broad range of sectors and sources, namely: CH₄ is mostly emitted from extraction, distribution and combustion of fossil fuel, industrial processes, enteric fermentation, rice cultivation, manure management, other agricultural sources, and the waste sector; N₂O is mostly emitted from industrial processes, agricultural soils, manure management and wastewater; and F-gases are mostly emitted from industrial processes. Mitigation of these emissions is an important and relatively inexpensive supplement to CO₂-only mitigation strategies. The United States Environmental Protection Agency estimates that 2.7 Gt CO₂ eq of non-CO₂ emissions could be mitigated by 2020 at a cost below USD 50/t CO₂ eq and a substantial portion of these reductions could generate an immediate financial return.

The technical expert meetings examine good practice policy options and technologies, and ways to increase the financial flows for implementation.

The policy options represent one of the key outcomes of the technical examination process and highlight replicable and scalable good practices, approaches and technologies with significant mitigation potential, which could be tapped in the period up to 2020 in many countries across the world. 

The Virtual Expo showcases many relevant initiatives and projects submitted by Parties and observer organizations as well as video and printed materials related to the examined thematic areas. The Expo demonstrates a wealth of climate action implemented by different actors and stakeholders.

International cooperation plays a critical role in advancing global climate change agenda and addressing new challenges and opportunities. Multiple collaborative success stories are inspiring action around the world showcasing enormous potential for enhanced cooperation at local, regional, national and global levels. The technical examination process brought together a number of international organizations, partnerships and initiatives working on advancing climate action in the examined thematic areas.

Leading international organizations and partnerships:

Ozone secretariat http://ozone.unep.org/en/about-secretariat is a working body of the Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer and for the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer. This international treaty is designed to protect the ozone layer by phasing out the production of numerous substances responsible for ozone depletion. As a result of this treaty, over 98 per cent of the consumption of all ozone-depleting substances has now been phased out since its entry into force in 1989.

Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations http://www.fao.org/climate-change/our-work/what-we-do/en views climate change as central to its goal of eliminating hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition, runs a number of programmes to promote ecologically sustainable food production and climate-smart agriculture. FAO’s work relevant to mitigation of methane emissions from agriculture include a multi-donor project, the Livestock, Environment and Development Initiative http://www.fao.org/agriculture/lead/lead/en, aimed at developing and promoting ecologically sustainable livestock production strategies and practices while reducing poverty.

Climate and Clean Air Coalition to Reduce Short Lived Climate Pollutants http://www.ccacoalition.org identifies quick-start actions that will ensure rapid delivery of scaled-up climate and clean air benefits by reducing key short-lived climate pollutants. The partnership launched a number of initiatives addressing non-CO2 GHG emissions.

The technical papers prepared under the technical examination process demonstrate mitigation benefits of policies, practices and technologies showcasing the best practices and success stories in the examined thematic areas.