2024/10/03

EANET’s 25th Senior Technical Managers’ Meeting: Key Outcomes and Discussions

3 October 2024 – Bangkok, Thailand

The 25th Senior Technical Managers’ Meeting of the EANET took place on August 28-29, 2024, in Bangkok, Thailand, hosted by the Network Center for EANET. The meeting brought together 30 Senior Technical Managers from the 13 Participating Countries to review the progress of the Data Report 2023 and the 2023 Report of the Inter-laboratory Comparison Project, and discuss National Monitoring Plans in 2024, as well as future directions for air quality monitoring.

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Progress Updates and Data Review

The meeting began with opening remarks from the Network Center and the Secretariat for the EANET. A report on the progress of EANET since the last Senior Technical Managers’ Meeting (STM) was presented, covering advancements in various monitoring areas, including wet and dry deposition, soil, vegetation, and aquatic environments.

Following this, attendees reviewed the preliminary draft Data Report 2023, which details findings on environmental conditions across different matrices. The evaluation of the 2023 Inter-laboratory Comparison (ILC) Project was also discussed, focusing on wet and dry deposition, soil, and inland aquatic environments.

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Participants at the STM25 in Bangkok

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National Monitoring Plans and Future Directions

The meeting also focused on presentations related to National Monitoring Plans and current monitoring activities of the Participating Countries. Each country shared updates on air concentration monitoring and technical challenges, including equipment issues and the need for continued maintenance support.

Discussions covered future developments in EANET’s monitoring and analysis activities, with an emphasis on expanding the monitoring network and integrating cost-effective, hybrid air quality monitoring systems. Participants also addressed the potential for capacity-building efforts related to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and nitrogen management.

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Key Trends and Findings

The Data Report 2023 revealed decreasing levels of sulfate (SO4²⁻) and nitrate (NO3⁻) across many monitoring sites, signaling a positive recovery from acid deposition in the region. However, ongoing monitoring is essential to confirm these trends. The meeting emphasized the importance of data sharing, timely submissions, and continuous QA/QC of data.

The STM meeting concluded with a summary of National Monitoring Plans by the Network Center, highlighting the progress made and identifying areas for future development. Dr. Meng Fan, Deputy Director General of the Asia Center for Air Pollution Research (ACAP), praised the Participating Countries for their continuous efforts and contributions to improving the EANET data quality. He called for ongoing collaboration to strengthen EANET’s role in combating acid deposition and air pollution in East Asia.

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Find out more about EANET data.

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Photo credits: Bangkok, Thailand, by Nopparuj Lamaikul (2024), all other photos: all rights reserved to EANET.

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