EANET was established in 2001 as an intergovernmental initiative focusing on creating a common understanding of the state of acid deposition problems in East Asia, providing useful inputs for decision-making at various levels, and promoting cooperation among 13 Participating Countries(PCs) countries in Northeast Asia and Southeast Asia, including Malaysia. In 2021, EANET expanded its scope to cover broader air pollution issues and established a Project Fund mechanism to promote cooperation with other organizations outside of EANET.
EANET’s activities are guided by its five-year Medium-Term Plans and a Work Programme and Budget approved by the Participating Countries every year. In 2024, the Secretariat for the EANET is organizing national stakeholder awareness workshops to promote EANET, better understand specific country needs, support the implementation of projects, and develop more projects and activities to support the Participating Countries’ efforts to address acid deposition and air pollution.
The EANET National Stakeholder Awareness Workshop in Malaysia – Understanding Air Pollution and its Sources, Weather, Climate, and Topography in Malaysia, will be held in Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia, on 26 November 2024, from 9:00 to 12:30 (GMT+8), co-hosted by the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, in partnership with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability, Malaysia, andalongside with EANET’s 26th Session of the Intergovernmental Meeting on the EANET, to be held on 27-28 November 2024 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
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The meeting will be held in a hybrid format: online via Zoom and at the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, in Bangi, Malaysia.
Policymakers, experts, and development partners from across Southeast Asia gathered in Vientiane for a two-day Inter-ministerial Workshop to enhance regional cooperation on air pollution under the Clean Air for Sustainable ASEAN (CASA) Initiative. The event also served as EANET’s National Awareness Workshop for the Lao People’s Democratic Republic.
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Lao PDR’s Ongoing Commitment to EANET
The Lao People’s Democratic Republic joined the EANET in 2002, shortly after the EANET’s inception as a formal intergovernmental initiative in January 2001. With its inclusion, EANET expanded to 13 Participating Countries, enabling Lao PDR to conduct harmonized acid deposition and atmospheric monitoring through the establishment of its first monitoring station in Vientiane and contribute its data as part of the EANET network. In May 2023, Vientiane hosted a national stakeholder workshop to celebrate two decades of EANET, raise awareness among Lao government agencies and NGOs, and discuss capacity-building in areas like QA/QC, ambient data analysis, and haze management. Recently, Lao PDR also participated in the EANET’s technical training activities including through support from the Network Center experts at the Asia Center for Air Pollution Research (ACAP) on wet-sampler maintenance, ion-chromatography guidance, and PM2.5 monitoring during technical missions in December 2023. The Inter-ministerial Workshop to Address Air Pollution allowed EANET to better understand the challenges faced by Lao PDR on air pollution and to strengthen relations between EANET and Lao PDR.
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The Inter-ministerial Workshop to Address Air Pollution Through Regional Cooperation
Knowledge Exchange and Technology in Air Quality Management
The workshop focused on knowledge exchange on best practices in air quality monitoring, policy development, and the use of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.
It began with introductory presentations by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (Natural Resources and Environment Research Institute) and by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (Department of Agriculture Extension and Cooperative) of Lao PDR and continued with country presentations from Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand on their progress and challenges in tackling air pollution. This was followed by interventions by United Nations representatives and regional partners including presentations by ESCAP, EANET Secretariat, and UNICEF. Session 5, entitled “Good Practices of How to Use Digital Technology for Air Pollution,” included presentations by the Korea Environmental Professional Engineers Association (KEPEA), the Center for Earth System Modeling and Prediction (CEMC) from the China Meteorological Administration (CMA), and the College of Science, University of the Philippines Diliman. A roundtable discussion then explored how to enhance regional cooperation and align local and central actions for cleaner air.
On the second day, participants visited a CASA-supported Air Quality Monitoring Station in Vientiane to see real-time air quality data systems in action.
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Priorities for Action: Data and Public Engagement
Through presentations, roundtable discussions, and the site visit, participants explored practical tools to address the region’s growing air pollution challenges. Two core priorities emerged from the discussions: enhancing technical capacity to leverage digital tools for synthesizing air quality data, and building communication strategies to improve the public access to information and raise awareness on air pollution issues.
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These insights will inform future CASA activities and ESCAP programming, as well as the EANET discussions for the preparation of the draft Medium-Term Plan (2026–2030) on the EANET.
EANET was established in 2001 as an intergovernmental initiative focusing on creating a common understanding of the state of acid deposition problems in East Asia, providing useful inputs for decision-making at various levels, and promoting cooperation among 13 Participating Countries(PCs) countries in Northeast Asia and Southeast Asia, including Lao People’s Democratic Republic. In 2021, EANET expanded its scope to cover broader air pollution issues and established a Project Fund mechanism to promote cooperation with other organizations outside of EANET.
EANET’s activities are guided by its five-year Medium-Term Plans and a Work Programme and Budget approved by the Participating Countries every year. In 2025, the Secretariat for the EANET is organizing national stakeholder awareness workshops to promote EANET, better understand specific country needs, support the implementation of projects, and develop more projects and activities to support the Participating Countries’ efforts to address acid deposition and air pollution.
EANET was established in 2001 as an intergovernmental initiative focusing on creating a common understanding of the state of acid deposition problems in East Asia, providing useful inputs for decision-making at various levels, and promoting cooperation among 13 Participating Countries(PCs) countries in Northeast Asia and Southeast Asia, including Cambodia. In 2021, EANET expanded its scope to cover broader air pollution issues and established a Project Fund mechanism to promote cooperation with other organizations outside of EANET.
EANET’s activities are guided by its five-year Medium-Term Plans and a Work Programme and Budget approved by the Participating Countries every year. In 2024, the Secretariat for the EANET is organizing national stakeholder awareness workshops to promote EANET, better understand specific country needs, support the implementation of projects, and develop more projects and activities to support the Participating Countries’ efforts to address acid deposition and air pollution.
The EANET National Stakeholder Awareness Workshop in Cambodia – Understanding Air Pollution and its Sources, Weather, Climate, and Topography in Cambodia, will be held in Phnom Phen, Cambodia on 19 March 2024, from 13:30 to 16:40 (ICT), in partnership with the Ministry of Environment, Cambodia and UNEP, back-to-back with UNEP’s Cambodia Clean Fuels and Vehicles Workshop, held on 18-19 March.
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The meeting will be held in person at the Hyatt Regency Phnom Phen, in Cambodia. Participation in the meeting is by invitation only.
EANET is working to reduce acid deposition and air pollution in Northeast and Southeast Asia. It is an intergovernmental initiative established in 2001 including 13 Participating Countries initially focused on acid deposition. In 2021, EANET expanded its scope to cover broader air pollution issues and established a Project Fund mechanism to promote cooperation with other organizations outside of EANET.
EANET’s activities are guided by its five-year Medium-Term Plans and a detailed Work Programme and Budget including projects, approved by the Participating Countries every year. A project called “Stocktaking and Methodological Assessment of Emissions Inventories and Source Apportionment of Air Pollution in Southeast Asia” has been approved for implementation in 2024, at the Twenty-fifth Session of the Intergovernmental Meeting (IG25) on the EANET, as a Project Activity, funded by the EANET Project Fund and implemented in partnership with the Asian Institute of Technology, Regional Resource for Asia Pacific (RRC.AP/AIT).
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2. Objectives
Emissions inventories and source apportionment of air pollution are fundamental elements of an air quality management framework. They enable policymakers, government regulators, and experts to better understand the sources of air pollution and their contribution to ambient air quality and identify appropriate policies. Many emissions inventory and source apportionment studies have been conducted in the EANET region.
This project aims to collate and analyze relevant key studies based on research and consultations with EANET National Focal Points and make these studies available as a database on the EANET website. The project will also identify follow-up opportunities and projects to work emissions inventories and/or source apportionment in the region.
An inception meeting of the project will be organized on Tuesday26 March 2024 at the UN Conference Center (UNCC), meeting room B, in Bangkok, Thailand. The objective of the meeting is to better understand the emissions inventory/ source apportionment situation in Southeast Asia and discuss with potential project partners the detailed activities to be carried out in the project. Participation in this meeting is by invitation only.
The EANET Seminar on the Effects of Acid Deposition and Air Pollution on Human Health and Ecosystems was conducted online on 31 October 2023 and aimed to gain knowledge, learn from pollution reduction efforts globally, and foster a collective understanding among scientists and policymakers. Approximately 80 participants joined the seminar online, contributing to meaningful discussions on the adverse effects of air pollution.
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Opening Statements
Opening remarks were delivered by Dr. Shiro Hatakeyama, Director General of the Asia Center for Air Pollution Research (ACAP), the Network Center for the EANET, and Mr. Bert Fabian, Coordinator, Secretariat for the EANET.
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International Perspectives on Environmental Policymaking Related to Air Pollution and Health
Mr. Thomas Scheuschner, an expert from the German Environmental Agency specializing in ICP Modeling and Mapping under UNECE, started by presenting the: “Critical load assessment and its contribution to policy decision making in Europe.” In his presentation, he highlighted the key milestones of the UNECE Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution (CLRTAP) and then explained how Critical Load Approaches and analyses can be used for air quality management strategies, by presenting Critical Load estimation methods and the European Critical Load database, among others.
Dr. Dorota Jarosinska from the WHO Regional Office for Europe, European Centre for Environment and Health, WHO, followed with her presentation on “Experience of policy-making based on scientific evidence of the Task Force on Health under the CLRTAP and WHO with CLRTAP.” In her presentation, Dr. Jarosinska introduced the Joint Task Force on the Health Aspects of Air Pollution (TFH) established under the CLRTAP and its work plan, before explaining the importance of the new WHO global air quality guidelines, and how they are being used by policymakers in the European Union.
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Finally, Dr. Hiroaki Minoura from Nagoya University of Commerce & Business, presented his findings on the “Health effects study of in vivo and in vitro exposure to automobile emissions.” He explained the results from in vivo testing to assess health risks of emissions from transport, in vitro toxicological screening for automotive emission-related substances, and an epidemiological assessment of automobile-related health risks.
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Closing Remarks
The session concluded with closing remarks delivered by Prof. Fan Meng, Deputy Director General of ACAP. The seminar was marked by discussions among participants contributing to fostering a better understanding of the complex relationship between air pollution, human health, and the environment.
Mr. Zhou Jun, Director of the Asian, African, and Latin American Affairs Division of the Department of International Cooperation of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, P.R. China, and EANET National Focal Point, delivered the opening remarks. He emphasized EANET’s two-decade journey in building a strong network and China’s commitment to its collaboration. China places high importance on EANET as a platform for expertise and knowledge-sharing and has actively supported its scope expansion. China has declared a “war” on air pollution and achieved a 57% reduction in average PM2.5 concentrations from 2013 to 2022 while doubling its GDP. Mr. Zhou Jun expressed China’s willingness to continue supporting EANET and collaborate for atmospheric environmental protection.
Prof. Xu Tang, from Fudan University, welcomed participants to the EANET side event at the First International Conference on Chemical Weather and Chemical Climate (CWCC2023). He explained the event’s focus on showcasing EANET and fostering collaboration, aligning with CWCC2023. Prof. Xu highlighted ongoing discussions about cooperation between EANET and Fudan University, particularly in capacity-building efforts.
Mr. Bert Fabian, Coordinator of the Secretariat for the EANET, outlined the workshop’s goals. He emphasized the connection between air pollution and climate change and the valuable opportunity for EANET to collaborate with Fudan University, which works closely with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and MAP-AQ. EANET has a strong history of monitoring acid deposition and air pollutants and providing high-quality data, and the Awareness Workshop aims to enhance interaction among researchers, scientists, and policymakers in China and beyond for the benefit of EANET Participating Countries and partners.
Some panelists and participants during the Workshop
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More than two decades of EANET
Dr. Meihua Zhu of the Asia Center for Air Pollution Research(ACAP) discussed EANET’s evolution from the 1990s to its formal establishment in 2001, the adoption of the Instrument in 2012, and scope expansion in 2021. She highlighted EANET’s crucial role in policy development, data collection, annual Data Reports, and Periodic Reports on Acid Deposition in East Asia. Dr. Zhu also emphasized the availability of high-quality data on the EANET website. She introduced the Project Fund mechanism and its funded projects in 2023 and 2024. Dr. Zhu underscored EANET’s intergovernmental and cooperative approach in advancing shared knowledge and enhancing air quality in East and Southeast Asia.
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Acid Deposition and Air Pollution Management in China
Dr. Siyuan Liang of the China National Environmental Monitoring Centre (CNEMC), the National Center for EANET in China, presented China’s acid deposition and air quality management over recent years. In 2021, PM2.5 levels in cities at the prefecture level or above in China dropped from 46 μg/m³ in 2015 to 30 μg/m³, with significant reductions in PM2.5, SO2, NO2, and CO concentrations from 2013 to 2022. She highlighted 1,000 acid monitoring sites in 469 cities, including Chongqing, Lijiang, Wuzhishan, Xiamen, Xi’an, and Zhuhai sites, part of the EANET network, and highlighted the reduction in acid deposition pollution since 2005. Dr. Liang also presented the various advanced monitoring methods and big data platforms in use in China. She ended her presentation by mentioning the importance of further enhancing monitoring data for environmental management, covering various pollutants to aid decision-making.
Dr. Yangxi Chu from the Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences (CRAES) presented China’s impressive air quality improvements over the last decade. Key achievements include stricter air pollution policies, enhanced vehicle emissions standards, clean residential heating, and joint air pollution prevention and control. Dr. Chu outlined China’s 2025 air quality goals and highlighted the role of science and technology in policymaking. He mentioned the National Joint Research Center for Air Pollution Control and its collaborative network, to recognize the main PM2.5 sources and to complete the “last mile” of scientific and technological applications to the ground. Dr. Chu showcased China’s substantial reduction in PM2.5 concentration nationwide and in Beijing, realizing air quality improvement as well as economic development.
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Discussion
Dr. Wei Wan from Clean Air Asia, China Office, discussed China’s journey toward cleaner air, emphasizing significant reductions in air pollutants from 2013 to 2021. She highlighted the successful balance between economic growth and air quality, attributed to revised air quality standards in 2012, among other policies. Dr. Syarif Romadhon from Indonesia’s National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) emphasized the importance of EANET’s collaboration and admired China’s example of economic development while reducing air pollution. Professor Gantuya Gambat from the German-Mongolian Institute for Resources and Technology expressed appreciation for EANET’s efforts for uniting scientists and policymakers in particular through the EANET Project Fund activities.
Professor Greg Carmichael, from the University of Iowa, USA, and Chair of the Scientific Steering Committee of WMO-GAW, highlighted the significance of EANET from the perspectives of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the Global Atmosphere Watch (GAW). He emphasized the importance of monitoring acid deposition in East and Southeast Asia and the collaboration between GAW and EANET. Professor Carmichael expressed gratitude for EANET’s data access and emphasized the need for relevant intercomparison models and emission projections.
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Closing Session
Dr. Shiro Hatakeyama, DG at ACAP, delivered the Closing Remarks. He highlighted EANET’s two-decade experience in addressing acid deposition and improving air quality. Dr. Hatakeyama credited the collaborative efforts of the 13 Participating Countries for significant improvements in the atmospheric environment. He expressed admiration for the rapid enhancement of air quality in China and emphasized EANET’s contribution to bettering the atmospheric environment in East Asia. In 2021, EANET expanded its scope to include atmospheric environmental pollutants including ozone and PM2.5, recognizing that controlling these pollutants can yield co-benefits for human health, global warming, and climate change mitigation. Dr. Hatakeyama mentioned the Project Fund mechanism, fostering collaboration beyond the Participating Countries, and expressed hope for extended cooperation.
The Twenty-sixth Session of the Intergovernmental Meeting (IG26) on the Acid Deposition Monitoring Network in East Asia (EANET) was held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, from 27 to 28 November 2024. All the 13 Participating Countries of the EANET were represented in-person in the Intergovernmental Meeting. Overall, there were about 80 participants from the EANET, engaged in key discussions related to the network’s 2025 activities and to air quality and acid deposition challenges in Northeast and Southeast Asia.
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Regional Cooperation Addressing Acid Deposition and Air Pollution
Hosted and chaired by the government of Malaysia, the IG26 started with Welcome Remarks delivered by Datuk Nor Yahati binti Awang, Deputy Secretary General of Malaysia’s Environmental Sustainability at the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability (NRES). Opening Remarks followed by Dr. Toshimasa Ohara, Director General of the Asia Center for Air Pollution Research (ACAP), and Mr. Bert Fabian, Coordinator of the Secretariat for the EANET.
Datuk Nor Yahati highlighted Malaysia’s commitment to tackling air pollution through initiatives such as the National Clean Air Action Plan (2025–2040). Dr. Ohara emphasized the expanded scope of EANET activities, and Mr. Fabian underscored the importance of the science-policy interface in EANET’s mission. The session elected Malaysia as Chairperson, Thailand and Mongolia as Vice-Chairpersons, and Japan as Rapporteur.
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Over US$300,000 Allocated for Air Quality Projects in 2025
In addition to the Core Budget of the EANET for its ongoing activities focused mainly on monitoring, and supporting its meetings, the IG26 approved twelve EANET Projects under the EANET Project Fund.
The Projects focus on capacity building, public awareness, monitoring and research activities, applied to various issues such as Nitrogen management, Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), innovative monitoring technologies including low-cost sensors and satellite monitoring, and understanding the effects of acid deposition on ecosystems, among others. A total of US$300,000 mainly coming from Japan (MOEJ), and with co-financing from the Republic of Korea (NIER), the Philippines (EMB), and China (Fudan University), was allocated for these initiatives.
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Future Directions and Key Approvals
In addition to these key decisions, the IG25 approved several important documents, such as the Work Program and Budget of the EANET in 2025, including the organization of key meetings in 2025 such as the Working Group Meeting in 2025 (WG2025), the 24th Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC25) and the 27th Session of the Intergovernmental Meeting on the EANET (IG27). The IG26 also approved the process of development of the EANET’s next Medium-Term Plan (2026–2030) which will include several consultations and meetings among Participating Countries in 2025, emphasizing expanded collaboration and innovative approaches to air quality monitoring and policy support.
The Twenty-fifth Session of the Intergovernmental Meeting on the Acid Deposition Monitoring Network in East Asia (EANET) (IG25) took place from 29 to 30 November 2023, in Hanoi, Viet Nam and online. Over 70 representatives from the EANET Participating Countries, UNEP and ACAP, the Secretariat and Network Center for the EANET, participated in the discussions related to the network’s 2024 activities and to address air quality issues in the region.
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Regional Cooperation Fighting Acid Deposition and Air Pollution
Hosted and chaired by Viet Nam, the IG25 started with the Welcome Remarks by His Excellency Mr. Le Cong Thanh, Vice Minister, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (MONRE), followed by opening Remarks by Ms. Marlene Nielsson, Deputy Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, UNEP, and by Dr. Hatakeyama, Director General, Asia Center for Air Pollution Research (ACAP).
His Excellency Mr. Le Cong Thanh delivering the Opening Remarks.
His Excellency Mr. Le Cong Thanh emphasized the significant challenges of air pollution and acid deposition in Viet Nam and globally. He highlighted the efforts of MONRE in developing legal frameworks and a nationwide monitoring network and expressed appreciation for the EANET’s contributions over the past twenty years. Ms. Nilsson underscored the significance of multilateralism in tackling environmental challenges, particularly acid deposition and air pollution, highlighting EANET’s expanded role in policy actions and capacity building for improved air quality. Dr. Shiro Hatakeyama highlighted the successful outcomes of the expansion of scope and the Project Fund adopted two years ago, specifically citing the Hybrid Air Quality Monitoring Network (HAQMN) project’s positive results with Low-Cost Sensors (LCS).
The IG25 Session was chaired by Viet Nam, vice-chaired by Lao PDR and Cambodia, and Thailand was elected Rapporteur.
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Over US$600,000 allocated to Building Government Capacity and Addressing Air Quality Management Issues in the Region
In addition to the Core Budget of the EANET to support its activities focused on monitoring, and supporting its meetings, the IG25 approved eleven EANET Projects in 2024 primarily focusing on capacity building for government officials but also concerning key air quality management-related issues such as on Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), low-cost sensors (LCS), emissions inventories, and source apportionment projects in the region.
The EANET Projects for 2024 received funding through the EANET Project Fund, EANET’s financial mechanism allowing collaboration with implementation partners and co-financing from outside the EANET Network.
The total funding for Project Activities in 2024 is $605,000, including funding from the EANET Secretariat and NC funds, additional financial support from Japan (MOEJ), and from the Republic of Korea (NIER).
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Ways forward
In addition to these key decisions, the IG25 also approved several important documents, such as the Work Program and Budget of the EANET in 2024, including the organization of key meetings in 2024 such as the Working Group Meeting in 2024 (WG2024), the 24th Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC24) and the 26th Session of the Intergovernmental Meeting on the EANET (IG26), and the process to finalize the revision of the EANET’s Administrative and Financial Guidelines and of the EANET Project Fund and Project Guideline.
EANET’s Initiatives for a Comprehensive Understanding of VOCs
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are components of air pollution that include a complex mixture of hundreds of carbon-containing gases. VOCs also include a wide variety of chemicals, some of which can cause short- and long-term adverse health effects. However, due to the unique characteristics of VOCs and the relatively high cost of measurement, VOCs monitoring and its related activities in the EANET region are still at an early stage. Since February 2023, the EANET has launched the “Feasibility for Promoting VOCs related Capacity Building in the EANET” project as part of the first batch of EANET Projects funded by the EANET Project Fund.
The EANET Workshop on Knowledge Sharing for VOCs Related Activities aimed at providing a complete understanding of VOCs related activities from the monitoring design to policy implementation, and to foster a comprehensive understanding and collaboration in the field of VOCs by bringing together experts, researchers, and practitioners in a multidisciplinary platform.
Mr. Yu Kamei, Director of the International Cooperation Office, Environment Management Bureau, Ministry of the Environment, Japan (MOEJ) and Engr. Marcelino N. Rivera Jr. OIC of the Environmental Quality Management Division of the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) of the Philippines, Central Office, on behalf of the EMB Director and concurrent Assistant Secretary Gilbert C. Gonzales, delivered opening remarks. Five presentations followed and covered VOC-related activities, from monitoring to emission control. Mr. Bert Fabian, Coordinator, Secretariat for the EANET moderated the Workshop.
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Advancements in VOCs Monitoring and Emission Control Across East Asia
Dr. Yujiro Ichikawa, Researcher at the Atmospheric Environment Group, Center for Environmental Science in Saitama (CESS) Japan, presented ” Methods of Measuring Atmospheric VOCs and Case Study in Japan”. Afterwards, Dr. Toshimasa Ohara, Research Director, Center for Environmental Science in Saitama (CESS), the SAC member of Japan for the EANET, and Dr. Kessinee Unapumnuk, Director, Transboundary Air Pollution Sub-Division, Air Quality, and Noise Management Division, Pollution Control Department (PCD), Thailand, delivered presentations on “VOCs and secondary air pollution in East Asia” and “Establishment of Environmental Standards and Guideline Values of Volatile Organic Compounds in the Kingdom of Thailand”, respectively.
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From the perspective of VOCs emission control, Mr. Junjie Tian, Engr., Shanghai Academy of Environmental Science, and Dr. Miao Feng, Director, Institute of Atmospheric Environment, Chengdu Academy of Environmental Science, delivered presentations on the “Prevention and Control of VOC pollution in Shanghai: progress, achievement and prospect” and “Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) emission control in Chengdu, China”. During their presentations, they introduced the Chinese local governments’ practices, the lessons learned, and the achievements made during the past decade.
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Prof. Fan Meng, Deputy Director General of the NC for the EANET, Asia Center for Air Pollution Research (ACAP) delivered closing remarks. The session was marked by active discussions and exchange of information, including with online participants. The event exemplified EANET’s commitment to fostering a multidisciplinary platform for experts, researchers, and practitioners to collectively address the challenges of VOCs in air pollution.