28 August 2024 – Bangkok, Thailand

The Working Group Meeting on the EANET held its 2024 session virtually on 20-21 August, focusing on reviewing the progress of activities in 2023 and 2024, preparing the next Medium-Term Plan (MTP) for EANET (2026-2030), and considering new projects for 2024. The session brought together over 50 representatives from the Participating Countries to assess achievements, discuss strategic directions, and plan future projects and activities.

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Progress Report of Activities Conducted in 2023 and 2024

The Working Group began by reviewing the significant achievements in the last quarter of 2023 and the first half of 2024, highlighting key activities.

The Secretariat and Network Center for the EANET presented Draft Reports on EANET Core Activities and Projects for 2023 and 2024. The Secretariat outlined activities including organizing the 23rd Session of the Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC23), the 25th Intergovernmental Meeting (IG25), and the Informal Meeting on the Initial Preparation of the Draft Medium-Term Plan (2026-2030) (IM2024). Highlights included the EANET Regional Awareness Workshop and National Awareness Workshops in China and Cambodia, as well as updates to the EANET website and communications.

The Network Center reported on its activities, such as preparing National Monitoring Plans, the EANET Data Report, technical manuals, and QA/QC activities. EANET Project Activities for 2024 covered studies on atmospheric deposition, VOCs capacity building, Low-Cost Sensors, PM2.5 source apportionment, and various meetings and webinars on air quality and nitrogen management. The Secretariat also reported on a project assessing emissions inventories and source apportionment in Southeast Asia.

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Preparation of the Next Medium-Term Plan (MTP) for the EANET (2026-2030)

A major focus of the session was the development of the next MTP, setting the strategic direction for 2026-2030.

The Secretariat presented the Draft Annotated Outline for the Medium-Term Plan (MTP) for EANET (2026-2030) and the Draft Partnership and Resource Mobilization Strategy. An overview of the proposed content for each section of the outline was provided and the steps for drafting the MTP were discussed. The session invited comments and suggestions for improvement.

Key points of the discussion included the need to address emerging challenges in air quality management. Recommendations were made for better data utilization in policymaking, incorporating cost-benefit analyses and considering the key results from the Draft Partnership and Resource Mobilization Strategy. The Secretariat will integrate feedback from the WG2024 and refine the outline which will be submitted for review by the SAC24 in October in Seoul, Republic of Korea, and for consideration at the IG26 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in November 2024.

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Proposed Projects for 2024

A total of 11 Project Plans were presented to the Session.

The Network Center and the Secretariat explained the proposed projects including studies on atmospheric deposition effects, VOC capacity building, and feasibility studies for new monitoring technologies. Other projects focused on analyzing precipitation and particulate matter, webinars for emission inventories, and strengthening nitrogen cycle management. supporting emission inventory development in Southeast Asia and improving regional capacity building for air quality monitoring and assessment.

In the discussion, various representatives highlighted key points: the need for enhanced capacity building alongside pollution control, the value of satellite monitoring, support for field studies and VOC projects, and the importance of linking project activities to the upcoming Medium-Term Plan (MTP). There were also suggestions to prioritize capacity-building activities, as well as to include additional meteorological factors in projects related to particulate matter.

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Closing Session

The 2024 session of the EANET Working Group highlighted significant progress in 2023, set the stage for the next MTP, and laid out new initiatives for 2024.

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Further discussions on the proposed Project Plans, among other important agenda items, will be held during the Twenty-fourth Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC24) meeting on the EANET to be organized from 29 to 31 October 2024, in Seoul, Republic of Korea.

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Read the Report of the Session.

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Find out more about EANET’s Project Fund and Project Activities.

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Photo credits: Photo of Bangkok, Benchakitti forest park by Andre Bestman (2023); all other photos, all rights reserved to EANET.