Firms Launch US$100 Million Initiative to Cut Superpollutants

Google has committed US$50 million through 2030 to support projects aimed at eliminating superpollutants, joining several major corporations in a collective effort to accelerate climate action through targeted private investment.

The funding is part of the Superpollutant Action Initiative, a corporate collaboration expected to mobilize about US$100 million by 2030 to scale projects that reduce highly potent greenhouse gases across sectors including energy production, agriculture, waste management and cooling systems. Participating companies include Amazon, Autodesk, Figma, Google, JPMorganChase, Salesforce, and Workday.

Superpollutants, such as methane, fluorinated gases and other non-CO2 greenhouse gases, are highly potent pollutants that are often short-lived but can trap heat tens to thousands of times more powerfully than carbon dioxide. Scientists estimate they are responsible for roughly half of global warming to date and contribute significantly to air pollution. Researchers estimate that aggressive reductions of these pollutants could avoid more than 0.5°C of warming by 2050 and prevent millions of premature deaths caused by air pollution each year.

The initiative is organized by the Beyond Alliance, a business-led coalition focused on scaling corporate funding for climate solutions. Participating companies will identify and finance high-impact projects designed to reduce superpollutant emissions in key industrial sectors. Luke Pritchard, Director, Beyond Alliance, said the initiative reflects the urgency of targeting pollutants that can deliver rapid climate benefits.

“We are in a decisive decade for the climate, and reducing superpollutants is one of the few levers that can bend the curve quickly. This initiative shows how companies can deploy private capital where it matters most, unlocking solutions that cut warming, improve air quality, and deliver measurable results now, while creating a clear pathway for others to follow,” he said.  The Beyond Alliance will support participating companies by providing research, reporting, knowledge-sharing and other resources to help implement projects under the initiative.

Meanwhile, Randy Spock, Carbon Credits and Removals Lead, Google, highlighting that superpollutant reductions play a critical role in limiting near-term warming. “Superpollutants are a major part of the equation to limit atmospheric warming. Experts agree that eliminating them where we can is one of the most powerful levers we have to deliver near-term impact, playing a vital and complementary role to removing CO2. Google is excited to join our peers in accelerating progress to eliminate superpollutants,” he stated. 

In parallel, the Alliance is collaborating with the Carbon Containment Lab and scientific experts to develop a global roadmap to guide corporate action on superpollutant reductions. The roadmap will identify where private capital can deliver the greatest impact and establish guiding principles for corporate investment, including scientific rigor, transparency, catalytic impact and collaboration. The roadmap is expected to be released later this year.

Dr. Anastasia O’Rourke, Senior Managing Director, Carbon Containment Lab, said coordinated corporate strategies are essential to avoid critical climate thresholds. “Our collective climate strategies must include all available resources in order to avoid rapidly approaching tipping points and prevent sustained global harm,” she said.

The Beyond Alliance has also launched a Request for Proposal (RFP) focused on supplier engagement to reduce refrigerant emissions linked to Scope 3 indirect emissions. In addition, the organization plans to launch the Superpollutant Academy in spring 2026 to provide companies with scientific, market and operational tools to evaluate and procure superpollutant reduction projects.

Google has already supported several initiatives targeting these emissions. In May last year, the company backed Recoolit and Cool Effect to support the removal of more than 25,000t of superpollutants by 2030. The company later signed a 50,000t agreement with waste management firm Vaulted Deep in September.

Countries Launch Global Accelerator to Cut Superpollutant Emissions

Alongside corporate initiatives to reduce superpollutants, governments are also scaling international cooperation and financing mechanisms to accelerate emissions cuts.

At COP30, the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) launched the Super Pollutant Countries Action Accelerator, a three-year program designed to help governments in countries eligible for Official Development Assistance accelerate reductions in superpollutant emissions. The program will embed specialized coordination teams within participating governments and support them through four or five tailored technical assistance projects, enabling coordinated national implementation across at least three superpollutant sectors.

The initiative draws on lessons from the Montreal Protocol and aims to involve up to 30 countries by 2030 while mobilizing about US$150 million in grants and complementary funding from development partners.

The first cohort of participating countries: Brazil, Cambodia, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Nigeria and South Africa, was announced at COP30. The countries were selected based on their political commitment, readiness for regulatory action and regional leadership, and will receive an initial support package totaling US$25 million.

Preliminary findings from the upcoming Global Economic Assessment on Climate and Clean Air, expected to be released in 2026 by the United Nations Environment Programme, indicate that tackling superpollutants generates positive net economic benefits in both the short and long term while helping address barriers to CO₂ mitigation.

Ministers called for expanded support to scale the Action Accelerator and mobilize the funding needed to help countries strengthen institutional capacity, deploy targeted technical assistance and advance national policies aimed at reducing emissions from key sectors such as fossil fuels, agriculture, waste and cooling systems.