EANET Highlights the Future of Air Quality Monitoring at Clean Air Week 2025
15 December 2025 – Bangkok, Thailand
Experts gathered during the EANET Regional Awareness Workshop during Clean Air Week 2025 to discuss how innovative technologies, empowered communities, and strengthened governance frameworks will be critical to tackling Asia’s air pollution crisis, in Bangkok, Thailand, on 26 November 2025.
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A Collaborative Platform for Clean Air Solutions
Co-organized by the EANET and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the session titled “Next-Generation Air Quality Monitoring: Technologies, Communities, and Governance for Clean Air” convened policymakers, scientists, civil society leaders and technology innovators to explore how air quality monitoring systems can evolve to better protect public health and the environment. The session brought together over 100 in-person participants (and around 50 online participants), with strong representation from both women and men across government, academia, civil society and the private sector.
Air pollution remains the world’s leading environmental health risk, with Asia bearing a disproportionate share of its impacts. Participants agreed that while reference-grade monitoring stations remain essential, their usage can be complemented by low-cost sensors. Emerging tools, including low-cost sensors, satellite observations, artificial intelligence, numerical modelling and open-source platforms, are transforming how air quality data are generated, shared and used for decision-making.
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Setting the Scene: From Data to Action
Opening the session, Ms. Siwaporn Rungsiyanon of Thailand’s Pollution Control Department, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, underscored the importance of reliable, policy-relevant data in driving effective air quality management.
The session was moderated by Ms. Yujeong Kim, Senior Programme Management Officer at UNEP and Ad Interim Coordinator, Secretariat for the EANET, who highlighted the need to better connect scientific innovation with governance and public participation.
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Showcasing Innovation and Regional Experience
A series of lightning presentations illustrated how next-generation monitoring approaches are being applied across different contexts. Prof. Gao Jian of the Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences (CRAES) shared lessons from China’s air quality management experience, including applications relevant to urban environments such as Bangkok. Mr. Achim Haug of AirGradient demonstrated how open-source, hyperlocal monitoring toolkits can complement official networks and improve access to air quality information.
Assoc. Prof. Sirima Panyametheekul from Chulalongkorn University highlighted the practical contributions of validated low-cost sensors to air quality management and policy implementation. From a regional perspective, Dr. Meihua Zhu of the Asia Center for Air Pollution Research (ACAP), the Network Center for the EANET, outlined EANET’s strategic directions for 2026–2030, emphasizing sustainability and regional cooperation.
Advanced scientific tools were also featured, with Dr. Bertrand Bessagnet of the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) presenting innovations in numerical air quality modelling through the CHIMERE model.
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Communities, Governance and the Right to Know
The role of communities and civil society was emphasized during the Workshop. Mr. Nuttawut Teachatanawat of the Clean Air Fund (CAF) shared insights from the Breathe Bangkok Initiative, demonstrating how community-led air quality and health monitoring can support data governance. Ms. Penchom Saetang of EARTH highlighted the significance of Thailand’s Pollution Release and Transfer Register (PRTR) bill in strengthening transparency, public participation and the right to know.
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Looking Ahead: Collaboration for Cleaner Air
An interactive discussion explored how innovative monitoring technologies can be integrated into existing reference networks, how trust in air quality data can be built through legal and institutional mechanisms, and how regional platforms, including UNDP’s Clean Air for Blue Sky Asia initiative, presented by Prof. Heekwan Lee, from Incheon National University, can strengthen capacity across Asia.
Closing the session, Prof. Meng Fan, from ACAP, emphasized that the future of air quality monitoring lies in collaboration between governments, researchers, and communities, and invited for collaboration with the EANET. By combining cutting-edge science with inclusive governance and citizen engagement, next-generation monitoring can become a powerful driver for cleaner air and healthier lives across the region.
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Useful Resources
- View the concept note and program
- View the recordings on YouTube
- View and download all the photos on Flickr
- Download the speakers’ presentations
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Photo credits: all rights reserved to EANET.