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The Nordic countries have under the umbrellas of the Nordic Council and the Nordic Council of Ministers for many years cooperated in the fields of environment and climate.The Nordic countries are also close to the Arctic region, where the problems of global warming now are most pronounced and accelerating.The Arctic ice is melting fast.The main culprit is the rise in global emissions of long-lived greenhouse gases, in particular carbon dioxide, which contributes to raising air and ocean temperatures.Less well known is the fact that emissions of carbon also speeds up the melting process.Black carbon (BC or soot) have a relatively short lifetime in the atmosphere but it still has a substantial impact on the climate.The Arctic needs urgent first aid in order to slow down the rapid melting of the ice.Any measures implemented need to make an immediate impact.Consequently, the Nordic Ministers for Environment and Climate from Denmark, Finland, The Faroe Islands, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and Aaland adopted in March 2012 the "Svalbard Declaration".Since carbon and methane have much shorter atmospheric lifetime than carbon dioxide, reduction in these emissions would have a faster effect than cuts in carbon dioxide emissions.This work complements the Nordic efforts to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and other long-lived greenhouse gases.Measures to reduce emissions of carbon and methane will also reduce air pollution and have positive local health benefits.Along with the Nordic initiative there is now also an important international initiative, where UNEP is the secretariat for the Climate and Clean Air Coalition to Reduce Short-Lived Climate Pollutants (CCAC).