The EANET Science & Policy Dialogue in 2021
9 December 2021 – Bangkok, Thailand
The EANET Science & Policy Dialogue online event took place on Friday 26th of November 2021, alongside the EANET’s 20th Anniversary celebration, gathering over one hundred participants from 30 countries to discuss better air quality for all.
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The Science & Policy Dialogue Opening and Keynote Sessions
The Science & Policy Dialogue online event followed the 20th Anniversary celebrations. It was inaugurated by Mr. Koki Azuma, Counsellor for Transboundary Pollution Analysis, General Affairs Division, Environmental Management Bureau, the Ministry of the Environment, Japan.
Dr. Hajime Akimoto, Guest Scientist at the National Institute for Environmental Studies, Japan, and also former Director-General of the Asia Center for Air Pollution Research (ACAP) presented the first Keynote Speech entitled: “Progress of Improvement, Challenges, and the Way forward on Air pollution Management in East Asia”. Dr. Markus Amann, Scientist from the Asia Pacific Clean Air Partnership (APCAP) Science Panel, and former Program Director at the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), then presented the second Keynote Speech: “Bringing Science and Policy in Tackling Air Pollution: Lessons Learned from Europe and Asia”.
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Bridging Science and Policy: The perspective of Future Cooperation on Air Pollution in the Region, the Panel Discussion
The Science & Policy Dialogue continued with a Panel Discussion regrouping experts gathered to discuss: “Bridging Science and Policy: The perspective of Future Cooperation on Air Pollution in the Region”.
Dr. Fan Meng, Deputy Director General, Asia Center for Air Pollution Research (ACAP); Prof. Young Sunwoo, Director General of the International Union of Air Pollution Prevention and Environmental Protection Associations (IUAPPA); Dr. Supat Wangwongwatana, Senior Instructor of the Faculty of Public Health, Thammasat University, Thailand; Mr. Bjarne Pedersen, Executive Director, Clean Air Asia; Dr. Qingfeng Zhang, Chief of the Rural Development and Food Security Thematic Group, and OIC/Chief of the Environment Thematic Group at the Asian Development Bank (ADB); Dr. Markus Amann, Scientist, Asia Pacific Clean Air Partnership (APCAP) Science Panel and Dr. Hajime Akimoto, Guest Scientist, National Institute for Environmental Studies, Japan (NIES) joined this discussion.
Key discussion points included the importance of sound science-based information for policymakers, the necessity of improving communication among actors, as part of systemic approaches and in line with available funding strategies. The EANET’s strengths, including the Network’s longevity and its large number of Participating Countries, were also noted, highlighting its great opportunities for future wider collaborations at regional and international levels.
Useful Resources
Download the two Keynote presentations:
- “Progress of Improvement, Challenges, and the Way forward on Air pollution Management in East Asia” by Dr. Hajime Akimoto
- “Bringing Science and Policy in Tackling Air Pollution: Lessons Learned from Europe and Asia” by Dr. Markus Amann
Read a more detailed summary of the events’ content in the EANET 20th Anniversary of the EANET and the Science & Policy Dialogue Event Report
View all the event’s videos on the Secretariat for the EANET’s YouTube channel and photos on Flickr.
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Photo credits: All rights reserved to EANET.