In 2022, ESCAP Member States adopted a Regional Action Programme on Air Pollution, and UNEP Member States in 2024, a resolution on Promoting Regional Cooperation on Air Pollution to Improve Air Quality Globally, which both include increased cooperation and knowledge exchange on air quality through online cooperation platforms, among others. EANET’s long-standing monitoring activities are being promoted in these multilateral platforms.
.
What is the RAPAP Partnership and Coordination Platform?
Adopted in 2022 at the 7th session of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) Committee on Environment and Development (CED7), the Asia-Pacific Regional Action Programme on Air Pollution (RAPAP) aims to promote clean air for all in Asia and the Pacific through various action areas including air quality management, air quality monitoring and data sharing, best practices, capacity building and multilateral cooperation. In the Ministerial Declaration of the CED7, one of the RAPAP’s objectives is: “To establish an open regional platform for the exchange of information and best practices on air pollution challenges and solutions, as may be deemed necessary and appropriate by members and associate members of ESCAP”. The RAPAP Partnership and Coordination Platform was established following this Ministerial Declaration and formally launched during the Fifth Asia Pacific Clean Air Partnership (APCAP) Joint Forum in March 2025 in Yokohama, Japan.
Showcasing National Plans, multilateral mechanisms, stakeholder lists, resources, live air quality data, and events, the platform is a repository for air quality actions and tools in Asia and the Pacific. The Live Air Quality Monitoring page links to various regional and global platforms including the European Space Agency (ESA), the Air Quality Index China (AQICN), and the National Institute of Environmental Research (NIER) Republic of Korea, among others.
.
What is AQMx?
The 6th edition of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-6) in February and March 2024 adopted a resolution on Promoting Regional Cooperation on Air Pollution to Improve Air Quality Globally which encourages Member States to continue their efforts to improve air quality by working on national air quality programs and standards. Through this resolution, Member States requested UNEP’s Executive Director to form an air quality cooperation network to raise awareness of air pollution’s impacts and the importance of mitigation actions, supporting capacity building and collaboration. It also referred to building an updated global online platform for information-sharing and communication on air quality.
Following this, the Air Quality Management Exchange Platform – AQMx – was developed by the Climate and Clean Air Coalition(CCAC), as a component of the CCAC Clean Air Flagship, in response to the need to build capacity for air quality management worldwide and to provide tools to support governments, in line with UNEA’s resolution on Promoting Regional Cooperation on Air Pollution to Improve Air Quality Globally. The platform is mainly composed of two parts: a Resources Exchange Library and the “Curated Guidance” section which aims to, in its first stage, provide a “top 10” list of actions for air quality managers to prepare a comprehensive air quality management planning.
.
How is EANET monitoring data promoted?
EANET data is shared in the AQMx Resource Exchange Library where users can access the EANET monitoring page and download the EANET Data Reports.
In the RAPAP Platform, EANET is presented in the Multilateral Mechanism section of the platform which includes an overview of the EANET and various resources such as EANET data and reports.
Screenshots from the AQMx (left) and RAPAP (right) platforms
.
The launch of the RAPAP and AQMx platforms reflects growing regional and global efforts to strengthen cooperation on air pollution. By promoting long-standing efforts such as EANET’s monitoring activities across multiple platforms, these frameworks not only enhance transparency and capacity building but also reinforce the collective commitment of countries to tackle air pollution and protect public health and the environment.
Focused on unlocking and future-proofing air quality management in Asia, the regional multi-stakeholder consultation workshop was held in Bangkok, Thailand, on May 27 and 28 2024. Co-organized by UNEP, ESCAP, and EANET, it aimed to improve multilateral and international cooperation on air pollution, drawing 212 participants from 32 countries, including representatives from academia, government, youth groups, NGOs, the private sector, and UN agencies.
.
Opening Session
Ms. Maria Cristina Zucca, Head of the Pollution and Health Unit at UNEPopened the workshop. She stressed the health risks of air pollution, causing 6.5 million deaths annually, mainly in Asia-Pacific. She urged for robust action and multilateral cooperation, citing the UNEA-6 resolution on promoting regional cooperation on air pollution. Dr. Sangmin Nam, Director of the Environment and Development Division at ESCAP, highlighted the public health impact in Asia-Pacific and emphasized the importance of regional technical cooperation through RAPAP. Dr. Le Ngoc Cau, Deputy Director General of the Viet Nam Institute of Meteorology, Hydrology, and Climate Change, and Chair of the Bureau of the 25th Intergovernmental EANET Meeting emphasized the significance of EANET and called for continued regional cooperation to advance air quality management, including monitoring additional pollutants.
Transitioning to future-oriented strategies, Dr. Andrea Hinwood, Chief Scientist at UNEP, delivered a keynote presentation on the importance of horizon scanning and strategic foresight in air quality management. She stressed the interconnectedness of air pollution, climate change, and biodiversity, and how these factors collectively impact public health and the environment.
Several strategies were proposed to effectively address air pollution. Firstly, the implementation of WHO guidelines on air pollution was advocated, with aims to save lives, disseminate knowledge, establish standards, promote dialogue, and contribute to climate action. Secondly, leveraging both Low-Cost Sensors and satellite data was suggested to bridge gaps in atmospheric monitoring. This approach could support existing monitoring networks and prioritize early warning systems for events such as Dust and Sand Storms (DSS) wildfires, and overall air quality. Thirdly, enhancing air pollution monitoring using satellite data was recommended, with a comprehensive approach that included mapping, monitoring, modeling, and measuring. Additionally, integrating data from various spheres such as the atmosphere, lithosphere, biosphere, and hydrosphere was proposed to gain a better understanding of air pollution dynamics. Collaboration with international organizations was also encouraged. Finally, recognizing clean air as a fundamental human right was emphasized. Prioritizing data collection on areas and populations most affected by air pollution was deemed essential for targeted interventions and policy formulation.
.
Panel Discussion on Understanding the Transboundary Haze Issue
Key actions were emphasized in addressing haze pollution. Collaboration among ASEAN countries was deemed crucial to address transboundary haze pollution, with a focus on implementing regional initiatives such as the ASEAN Haze-Free Roadmap. Engagement of various stakeholders beyond traditional forestry sectors, including agriculture and biodiversity sectors, was seen as necessary to address land-clearing practices. Developing robust warning systems like the WMO’s Vegetation Fire and Smoke Pollution Warning Advisory and Assessment System was considered vital, alongside enforcing national laws and fostering regional cooperation to combat haze pollution effectively. Prioritizing sustainable land and forest management, particularly in regions like the Mekong countries, was highlighted as essential to prevent large-scale fires. Providing financial support for projects addressing air quality management and ensuring scientific findings translated into actionable solutions through community engagement and implementation-focused initiatives were both emphasized.
.
Unlocking Finance for Clean Air in Cities
The session on unlocking financial resources for clean air initiatives brought together experts from various organizations including UNEP, the Clean Air Fund, representatives from the governments of the Republic of Korea, Japan, and Mongolia, the World Bank, and the Massive Earth Foundation.
National governments were advised to establish robust legal and policy frameworks and secure long-term funding for air quality initiatives. Government support, societal investment in environmental efforts, substantial funding mechanisms, and private sector involvement were deemed crucial. Learning from examples such as Mongolia, considering the environmental impact of small businesses, and raising awareness through NGOs was recommended. Regional cooperation, international funding channels, and domestic commitments to funding air quality projects were seen as essential. Climate action presented opportunities for industrial innovation. Reforming vehicle tax systems to prioritize mileage and emissions over vehicle type, inspired by successful reforms in Europe, could fund clean air initiatives.
.
A Global Knowledge Platform on Air Quality
Juliette Laurent from the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) emphasized the importance of assessment, political support, and future planning for air quality management, introducing the CCAC’s Air Quality Management Exchange (AQMx) initiative.
.
Future Challenges and Solutions in Air Quality Management
The final session of the workshop addressed future challenges and potential solutions in air quality management. Experts from UNEP, the governments of Japan, the Republic of Korea and Thailand, and ESCAP, participated in this session.
The discussions emphasized regional and subregional bodies, as well as financing institutions, to develop and implement regional solutions and cooperate on setting goals for air quality improvement, as outlined in UNEA Resolution 6/10. Panelists underscored the need for essential resource mobilization and tailored regional solutions to achieve significant air quality improvements. Strengthening international and regional collaboration through platforms such as RAPAP, EANET, and the Asia Pacific Clean Air Partnership (APCAP) was recommended, focusing on knowledge sharing, capacity building, and joint research projects. It was also suggested to promote greater regional coherence and harmonization towards cleaner air, leveraging cooperative channels, and addressing regional ozone pollution. Prioritizing technology and innovation, improving data accuracy for public communication, and fostering international and regional cooperation were highlighted as essential for effectively combating air pollution. Leveraging geospatial data, ground-based sensors, digital technology, AI, promoting sustainable agriculture practices, and fostering cross-border collaboration were also recommended strategies.
.
RAPAP as a Collective Action Programme
The sessions on 28 May focused on the Regional Action Programme on Air Pollution (RAPAP) which was adopted by ESCAP member States at the 7th Committee on Environment and Development in 2022, and subsequently endorsed by ESCAP resolution (79/6). RAPAP provides a framework or reference for national, subregional, multilateral, and multistakeholder mechanisms to advance their cooperation agenda for clean air in the Asia Pacific region. The sessions aimed at exchanging information and updates on initiatives supporting regional clean air cooperation, identifying focus areas, and recommending actions to enhance collaboration and stakeholder contributions.
Experts from UN agencies, Development agencies, Foundations, the ASEAN, NGOs, research institutes, and Asian governments discussed opportunities for technical cooperation involving identifying training needs, sharing best practices, and promoting partnerships to tackle air pollution. Recommendations for accelerating regional cooperation were discussed, including developing coordinated strategies, enhancing air quality monitoring and technical assistance, and improving communication and stakeholder engagement.
Policymakers, experts, and development partners from across Southeast Asia gathered in Vientiane for a two-day Inter-ministerial Workshop to enhance regional cooperation on air pollution under the Clean Air for Sustainable ASEAN (CASA) Initiative. The event also served as EANET’s National Awareness Workshop for the Lao People’s Democratic Republic.
.
Lao PDR’s Ongoing Commitment to EANET
The Lao People’s Democratic Republic joined the EANET in 2002, shortly after the EANET’s inception as a formal intergovernmental initiative in January 2001. With its inclusion, EANET expanded to 13 Participating Countries, enabling Lao PDR to conduct harmonized acid deposition and atmospheric monitoring through the establishment of its first monitoring station in Vientiane and contribute its data as part of the EANET network. In May 2023, Vientiane hosted a national stakeholder workshop to celebrate two decades of EANET, raise awareness among Lao government agencies and NGOs, and discuss capacity-building in areas like QA/QC, ambient data analysis, and haze management. Recently, Lao PDR also participated in the EANET’s technical training activities including through support from the Network Center experts at the Asia Center for Air Pollution Research (ACAP) on wet-sampler maintenance, ion-chromatography guidance, and PM2.5 monitoring during technical missions in December 2023. The Inter-ministerial Workshop to Address Air Pollution allowed EANET to better understand the challenges faced by Lao PDR on air pollution and to strengthen relations between EANET and Lao PDR.
.
The Inter-ministerial Workshop to Address Air Pollution Through Regional Cooperation
Knowledge Exchange and Technology in Air Quality Management
The workshop focused on knowledge exchange on best practices in air quality monitoring, policy development, and the use of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence.
It began with introductory presentations by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (Natural Resources and Environment Research Institute) and by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (Department of Agriculture Extension and Cooperative) of Lao PDR and continued with country presentations from Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand on their progress and challenges in tackling air pollution. This was followed by interventions by United Nations representatives and regional partners including presentations by ESCAP, EANET Secretariat, and UNICEF. Session 5, entitled “Good Practices of How to Use Digital Technology for Air Pollution,” included presentations by the Korea Environmental Professional Engineers Association (KEPEA), the Center for Earth System Modeling and Prediction (CEMC) from the China Meteorological Administration (CMA), and the College of Science, University of the Philippines Diliman. A roundtable discussion then explored how to enhance regional cooperation and align local and central actions for cleaner air.
On the second day, participants visited a CASA-supported Air Quality Monitoring Station in Vientiane to see real-time air quality data systems in action.
.
Priorities for Action: Data and Public Engagement
Through presentations, roundtable discussions, and the site visit, participants explored practical tools to address the region’s growing air pollution challenges. Two core priorities emerged from the discussions: enhancing technical capacity to leverage digital tools for synthesizing air quality data, and building communication strategies to improve the public access to information and raise awareness on air pollution issues.
.
These insights will inform future CASA activities and ESCAP programming, as well as the EANET discussions for the preparation of the draft Medium-Term Plan (2026–2030) on the EANET.
EANET was established in 2001 as an intergovernmental initiative focusing on creating a common understanding of the state of acid deposition problems in East Asia, providing useful inputs for decision-making at various levels, and promoting cooperation among 13 Participating Countries(PCs) countries in Northeast Asia and Southeast Asia, including Lao People’s Democratic Republic. In 2021, EANET expanded its scope to cover broader air pollution issues and established a Project Fund mechanism to promote cooperation with other organizations outside of EANET.
EANET’s activities are guided by its five-year Medium-Term Plans and a Work Programme and Budget approved by the Participating Countries every year. In 2025, the Secretariat for the EANET is organizing national stakeholder awareness workshops to promote EANET, better understand specific country needs, support the implementation of projects, and develop more projects and activities to support the Participating Countries’ efforts to address acid deposition and air pollution.
EANET, as one of the existing intergovernmental bodies in Asia, collaborated in the organization of the High-Level Forum on Clean Air, alongside the Ministry of Environment and Tourism of Mongolia, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asian and the Pacific (ESCAP), and the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia from 2 to 3 March 2023. The Forum supported the operationalization of ESCAP’s recently adopted Asia-Pacific Regional Action Programme on Air Pollution (RAPAP).
.
The High-Level Forum on Clean Air
The Forum gathered around 100 participants including high-level representatives from governments, national experts, researchers, and representatives from regional organizations working on air pollution.
Among key high-level representatives, H.E. Mr. Oyun-Erdene Luvsannamsrai, Prime Minister of Mongolia; H.E. Mr. Naseer Ahamed, Minister of Environment of Sri Lanka; Ms. Armida Alisjahbana, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Secretary of ESCAP, and Ms. Dechen Tsering, Regional Director, Asia and the Pacific Office, UN Environment Programme, joined the hybrid event.
Watch the Opening Session
.
The Forum aimed at presenting and discussing the implementation of the Asia-Pacific Regional Action Programme on Air Pollution (RAPAP), adopted at the 7th session of the ESCAP Committee on Environment and Development in 2022. Various sessions were organized, including a ministerial roundtable, sessions on air quality management, monitoring, best practices, capacity building, air quality data and standards, and partnerships through the RAPAP.
Sharing EANET’s Long-term Expertise in Air-quality Monitoring and Capacity Building
The EANET, as a key regional intergovernmental organization for East Asia, along with the North-East Asia Clean Air Partnership (NEACAP), was invited to share its expertise in several sessions.
Prof. Meng Fan, Deputy Director-General of the Network Center for the EANET, shared EANET’s two decades of experience during Session 2: Air Quality Monitoring Session. He highlighted the trends of air pollution and acid deposition in the EANET region, including the decrease of sulphur dioxide over time, and the increase of ozone, in Southeast Asia specifically. He also explained the impacts of acidification in forests and inland waters in the region.
Watch Prof. Meng’s presentation (at 35’06’’)
.
Mr. Bert Fabian, the Coordinator of the Secretariat for the EANET, was invited as a panelist in Session 3: Best Practice Sharing and Capacity Building. In his presentation, he explained the role of EANET in strengthening the data-science-policy link over the past two decades, highlighting the capacity-building and training activities achieved by the Network, and presented the new Project Activities in 2023. He called for increased cooperation amongst various partners in support of Project activities in 2024.
Mr. Kwon-Ho Jeon, a Senior coordinator at the National Institute of Environmental Research (NIER), Republic of Korea, presented NIER’s training activities particularly on the upcoming TNT and Capacity Building Program in 2023, a partnership between NIER and EANET.
Watch Mr. Fabian’s and Mr. Jeon’s presentations (at 4’20’’ and 11’53’’)
.
The High-Level Forum offered a meeting point for many organizations and government representatives. Several stakeholders mentioned ongoing participation in the EANET, such as Ms. Uranchimeg Tserendorj the Director-General of the Natural Resources Policy Coordination Department from the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, Mongolia, and Undersecretary Juan Miguel Cuna of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Philippines.
EANET will explore opportunities to cooperate amongst various partners to complement the implementation of the RAPAP. EANET will continue to play a key role in Northeast and Southeast Asia in air quality and acid deposition management.
Air pollution is one of the most pressing environmental health crises globally. It is responsible for more than 6.5 million deaths annually, the bulk of which – 70 percent – occur in the Asia Pacific. In addition to health hazards, air pollution threatens the region’s economy, food and water security, and climate systems. This hampers the region’s efforts to grow sustainably and alleviate poverty. Urbanization has been identified as one of the main drivers of environmental change with many cities having seen high — and in some areas, rising — levels of air pollution over the past decade. Everyone is affected, but women, children, the elderly, and people living in poverty are bearing the brunt of its impact. It is infringing on the right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment.
Many efforts and initiatives have been implemented over the past decades to tackle air pollution but have not been able to fully address the problem and need to be responsive to emerging global and regional challenges. At the Sixth Session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-6) in February 2024 in Nairobi, Kenya, member states underscored the need to elevate efforts on addressing the significant impacts of air pollution, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals, and adopted a new resolution on Promoting regional cooperation on air pollution to improve air quality globally.
Within the context of this workshop, “future-proofing” refers to anticipating future challenges that will impact air quality management and identifying solutions, for example, weather and meteorological conditions driving the frequency of forest and wildfires, or increasing dust and sandstorms, driving haze and severe air pollution episodes. “Unlocking” refers to examining and identifying key policies and solutions leading to measurable improvement in air quality.
These can help inform implementation of the new resolution which requests UNEP to “form and facilitate a cooperation network on air quality” working with relevant stakeholders and regional initiatives such as the Acid Deposition Monitoring Network in East Asia (EANET), the Malé Declaration, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution, the Asia-Pacific Clean Air Partnership (APCAP), North-East Asia Clean Air Partnership (NEACAP) and the Thematic Working Group on Air Quality and Health.
The resolution also requests UNEP to provide an “updated global online platform for network-wide information sharing and communication”. At the regional level, after the adoption of the Regional Action Programme on Air Pollution (RAPAP) in 2022, ESCAP is initiating the development of an online RAPAP Partnership and Coordination Platform. The Platform aims to facilitate complementarities among multilateral and multi-stakeholder cooperation mechanisms as well as countries to provide a repository of collaborative work and scale up the impact of joint actions.
.
Objective
This workshop is jointly organized by UNEP, ESCAP, and EANET to support the regional implementation of the UNEA resolution on promoting regional cooperation on air pollution to improve air quality globally and support discussions to “unlock” and “future-proof” air quality management in the region.
This workshop serves as EANET’s Regional Awareness Workshop in 2024 to inform its Participating Countries on the key challenges and emerging issues on air quality management and provide inputs to its Medium-Term Plan for 2026-2030. This workshop also serves as an important opportunity for ESCAP to inform stakeholders about the development of the RAPAP Partnership and Coordination Platform, map out activities of potential partners, and obtain feedback and suggestions on the Platform as a shared resource for information exchange and coordination, thus facilitating multilateral and international cooperation in support of RAPAP.
In this respect, the EANET Awareness Workshop in 2024 will be organized from 27-28 May in Conference Room 4 at the United Nations Conference Centre in Bangkok (UNCC), Thailand, and in a hybrid format, under the name “Unlocking and Future-Proofing Air Quality Management in Asia, Multi-stakeholder consultation workshop for improved multilateral and international cooperation on air pollution”. On 27 May, the 2024 edition of LowCarbon.Earth will be launched, inviting applications by startups working on six areas: Clean air; Agri-food; Renewable energy; Digital innovation; Sustainable mobility; and Plastic pollution. Finally, on 29 Mayin Meeting Room B, at the UNCC closed EANET meetings by invitation only (see the Program below) will take place back-to-back with the Workshop.
