14 August 2025 – Bangkok, Thailand

The Working Group Meeting in 2025 (WG2025) on the EANET brought together over 60 participants virtually, including representatives from the 13 Participating Countries, UNEP, ACAP, the Secretariat and the Network Center for the EANET, and participants from other organizations presenting proposals for cooperation with EANET in 2026. The meeting mainly focused on the future direction of the network including on the review of the Second Draft Medium-Term Plan (MTP) (2026–2030) and proposed Project Activities for 2026.

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Opening Remarks

Dr. Mushtaq Memon, Regional Coordinator for Chemicals and Pollution Action, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, highlighted the urgent need for stronger regional cooperation on air pollution, noting its growing recognition at global forums. He stressed that the new MTP will guide EANET’s future work and strengthen its role in regional and international initiatives.

Dr. Toshimasa Ohara, Director General of the Asia Center for Air Pollution Research (ACAP), pointed out East Asia’s serious challenges with pollutants such as ozone and PM2.5. He underlined EANET’s valuable two decades of monitoring and called for the new MTP to also address wider issues such as climate change and nitrogen management.

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Shaping the Next Medium-Term Plan (2026-2030)

A central focus of the meeting was the consultation on the Second Draft Medium-Term Plan (2026–2030). Participating Countries welcomed the revisions made following the June 2025 Working Group Meeting on the First Draft of the MTP (2026-2030), noting significant improvements.

Countries highlighted the importance of leveraging new technologies while stressing the need for resource mobilization strategies to support the next MTP. The draft will undergo further written consultations until September, with the final version to be considered at the upcoming Intergovernmental Meeting (IG27) in November 2025.

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New Project Activities Proposed for 2026

The meeting also reviewed nine draft Project Plans and two Concept Notes for 2026. These proposals cover diverse themes, including:

Proposed Project Plans (EPPs)

1. EPP 2026-01: Accumulation of atmospheric nitrogen deposition data for sustainable nitrogen management in existing EANET monitoring sites
2. EPP 2026-02: Fellowship for building leadership in Atmospheric Environment and Air Quality Management in East Asia
3. EPP 2026-03: Collaboration of Technical and Training (TNT) and capacity building program for personnel of the Participating Countries on monitoring
4. EPP 2026-04: Webinar for understanding of influences by changing climate on air quality over East Asia
5. EPP 2026-05: Capacity building webinar workshop on application of satellite observation for atmospheric environmental management
6. EPP 2026-06: Methodological Study on PM2.5 Source Identification and Capacity Enhancement in EANET with Emphasis on Southeast Asia
7. EPP 2026-07: Strengthening EANET Capacity in Financing Strategies for Project Planning and Advanced Methods for Monitoring of Air Pollution and Emissions
8. EPP 2026-08: Driving Action through Data: Development of the EANET Data Dashboard
9. EPP 2026-09: Enhancing Regional Understanding of Black Carbon Pollution through Integrated Monitoring Across EANET Countries

Proposed Project Concept Notes (PCNs)

1. PCN 2026-01: Knowledge exchange and capacity strengthening on sustainable agricultural practices for clean air in Mekong region
2. PCN 2026-02: Strengthening capacity on air quality legislation: Capacity building workshop on Law and Air Quality for EANET

Countries emphasized the need to prioritize projects within the scope of the EANET (based on its Annex to EANET Instrument) and encouraged expanding capacity-building initiatives.

All Project Plans and Concept Notes, with modifications when relevant, will be further considered at the upcoming Scientific Advisory Committee Meeting (SAC25) on the EANET held on 20-22 October in Vientiane, Lao PDR, before being submitted for final consideration and approval at the Twenty-seventh Intergovernmental meeting on the EANET (IG27) in November 2025 in Bangkok, Thailand.

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Next Steps

EANET representatives will meet again in September during the Twenty-sixth Senior Technical Manager’s Meeting (STM26) in Manila, Philippines, followed by the SAC25 and IG27. The IG27 will review the Final Draft of the Medium-Term Plan (2026–2030) supporting EANET’s strengthened role in tackling air pollution and advancing regional cooperation in East Asia.

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Read the Meeting Report.

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Photo credits: green trees under white clouds (2020) by Boudewijn Huysmans; all other images: all rights reserved to EANET.