Tag: National Awareness Workshop

Understanding Air Pollution and its Sources, Weather, Climate, and Topography in Malaysia: Insights from the EANET Awareness Workshop in 2024

Posted on by Aurélia Lemoine

6 March 2025 – Bangkok, Thailand

The EANET National Stakeholder Awareness Workshop “Understanding Air Pollution and Its Sources, Weather, Climate, and Topography in Malaysia,” took place on 26 November 2024 at the Universiti Kebangsaan, Malaysia. Over 65 participants (in-person and online) gathered to discuss air quality management in Malaysia. The audience included academics, researchers, professors, and representatives from various government agencies focused on environmental conservation and sustainable development.

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Promoting EANET Activities and Environmental Initiatives

Co-hosted by the Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, the workshop aimed to understand Malaysia’s specific air quality and environmental challenges, support the implementation of related projects in collaboration with the EANET, and foster the development of new initiatives to combat air pollution and acid deposition. These efforts align with EANET’s the broader goal of addressing acid deposition and air pollution more effectively.

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Opening Remarks: Malaysia’s Commitment to Air Quality

The workshop was inaugurated with Ms. Roslinda Binti Ulang, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability (NRES) Malaysia, and Malaysia’s National Focal Point for EANET, delivering the Opening Remarks. She welcomed participants and reflected on Malaysia’s 28 years of active participation in EANET. She reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to tackling air pollution and acid deposition, underscoring its dedication to environmental sustainability.

Following this, Mr. Bert Fabian, Coordinator of the Secretariat for the EANET, introduced EANET’s expanded scope, which includes broader air quality monitoring activities. He provided insights into EANET’s organizational structure, data-sharing protocols, and funding mechanisms while setting the stage for the expert presentations.

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Opening remarks by Ms. Roslinda Binti Ulang, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability and Malaysia’s National Focal Point for EANET

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Expert Presentations on Air Quality Management

The Awareness Workshop brought together experts who shared insights on air quality management in Malaysia and in the wider region.

Prof. Meng Fan, Deputy Director General of the Network Center for the EANET at the Asia Center for Air Pollution Research, provided a regional perspective on environmental challenges and collaborative solutions in his presentation on “Air Quality and Acid Deposition in EANET.” Ms. Norazlinda Ismail, Principal Assistant Director at the Department of Environment, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability, Malaysia, highlighted national strategies and initiatives in air quality management. Prof. Dr. Mohd Talib Latif, Chairman of the Department of Earth Sciences and Environment at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia and the President of Malaysian Association for Aerosols and Air Quality Research (MAAQR), explored the complex interplay between pollution sources, weather, and climate in shaping Malaysia’s air quality. Dr. Ahmad Fairudz Jamaluddin, Director of the Atmospheric Science and Cloud Seeding Division at the Malaysian Meteorological Department, discussed key monitoring practices and trends related to acid deposition, global greenhouse gases, and the background aerosol monitoring network in Malaysia. Additionally, Dr. Noor Zaitun Yahaya, President of the Clean Air Forum Society of Malaysia (MyCAS) and Senior Lecturer at Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, introduced innovative AI-based methods for acid deposition analysis in Malaysia.

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Advancing Knowledge and Collaboration for Cleaner Air

The EANET National Stakeholder Awareness Workshop in Malaysia served as an important platform for knowledge sharing and collaboration. By bringing together experts and stakeholders, the event fostered discussions on actionable strategies to improve air quality management. The insights shared during the workshop contribute to ongoing efforts in environmental sustainability and air pollution mitigation in Malaysia and beyond.

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Malaysia currently serves as the Chair of the Bureau of the Intergovernmental Meeting (IG) on the EANET since November 2024, until a new Chair is elected in November 2025. Find out more about the next EANET events in 2025.

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Useful Resources

Download the panelists’ presentations:

 

Photo credits: all rights reserved to EANET.

Highlights from the EANET National Stakeholder Awareness Workshop in Cambodia

Posted on by Aurélia Lemoine

Bangkok, 17 April 2024

The EANET National Stakeholder Awareness Workshop in Cambodia – Understanding Air Pollution and its Sources, Weather, Climate, and Topography in Cambodia, was held in Phnom Phen, Cambodia, on 19 March 2024, in partnership with the Ministry of Environment, Cambodia, and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), back-to-back with UNEP’s Cambodia Clean Air and Sustainable Transport Workshop, held on 18-19 March. About 30 participants joined the Workshop. The workshop aimed to promote the EANET’s achievements, gain insight into Cambodia’s specific needs related to air quality management, and foster the development of additional initiatives to assist in addressing acid deposition and air pollution.

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Opening Session

The meeting started with Opening Remarks from Dr. Chou Monidarin, Deputy Director General of the General Directorate of Environmental Protection, Ministry of Environment Cambodia, and the National Focal Point of Cambodia for the EANET, followed by an introduction to the EANET and to the objectives of the meeting by Mr. Bert Fabian, Coordinator, Secretariat for the EANET. Prof. Meng Fan, Deputy Director General of the Network Center for the EANET, the Asia Center for Air Pollution Research (ACAP) then presented the activities of the EANET on air quality and acid deposition management, air pollution trends in the region, and the main activities of the EANET including monitoring, capacity building and technical support to Participating Countries.

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EANET National Stakeholder Awareness Workshop in Cambodia
Group photo of participants on the first day of the workshop (photo by Clean Air Asia)

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Assessing Cambodia’s Air Quality Landscape, Dynamics and Initiatives

Mr. Chandath Him outlined Cambodia’s air quality, citing primary pollution sources as older vehicles and industrial plants. With over 6.6 million registered motorcycles and cars since 1990, along with 1,859 operational industrial plants, pollution also stems from construction activities and agricultural practices. He highlighted the significance of airborne dust due to unpaved streets and construction, and discussed ongoing initiatives on monitoring like satellite projects and Low-Cost Sensors (LCS). Cambodia is updating its air pollution laws, including new vehicle emission standards, fines, and industry controls, with Euro 5/V standards enforced from January 2027. He introduced Cambodia’s Clean Air Plan, analyzing pollutants and proposing mitigation measures to reduce air pollution and combat climate change, aiming for integrated planning and coordinated management efforts.

Dr. Chanmoly OR, Director of the Research and Innovation Center at the Institute of Technology of Cambodia presented an analysis of the complex interplay between topography, weather, and air pollution in Cambodia. Favorable wind circulation aids in pollutant dispersion, while factors including humidity, temperature, and precipitation also influence air quality. The presentation underscored the need for comprehensive research to understand pollution sources better coming mainly from the the transport and construction sectors in urban areas, and from open-burning and agriculture, in rural areas, including emerging concerns such as microplastics particle pollution.

Dr. Anantaa Pandey outlined the Global Green Growth Institute‘s (GGGI) efforts to enhance air quality in Cambodia, focusing on emissions inventories, public transportation improvement, and capacity building. The program aims to address challenges such as equipment maintenance, expand monitoring infrastructure, and develop emission control strategies tailored to Cambodia’s context.

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Strategies for Effective Air Pollution Management

The discussion segment saw active participation from experts and policymakers, emphasizing the urgency of addressing air pollution through multifaceted strategies. Participants highlighted the importance of upgrading vehicle emission standards, promoting cleaner fuels, and regulating industrial emissions. Challenges such as economic constraints and the high cost of fuel upgrades were acknowledged, with suggestions for phased transitions and international support.

The EANET meeting concluded with a consensus on the need for concerted efforts to combat air pollution in Cambodia. Key takeaways included the importance of robust monitoring infrastructure, innovative solutions tailored to local contexts, and international collaboration. The meeting underscored the critical role of initiatives like EANET in guiding Cambodia towards a cleaner and healthier future.

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Useful Resources

-Read the Panelists’ Presentations:

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Photo credits: cover photo of Phnom Penh (2022) by allPhoto Bangkok, group photo by Clean Air Asia.