The State of Acid Deposition in East Asia – from data to policy

29 June 2022 – Bangkok, Thailand

The EANET Awareness Workshop in 2022 “The State of Acid Deposition in East Asia – from data to policy” was organized virtually on Monday, 20 June 2022. It gathered participants from 17 different countries, scientists, and policymakers who discussed the biggest challenges and successes in acid deposition management in East Asia in the last 20 years.

.

Opening Session

Dr. Isabelle Louis, Deputy Regional Director of UNEP Asia Pacific office, opened the EANET Awareness Workshop in 2022 by delivering the opening remarks, followed by welcome remarks from Mr. Kenichiro Fukunaga, Deputy Director General in charge of Administrative Management at the Asia Center for Air Pollution Research (ACAP).

Key messages conveyed in the remarks celebrated the imminent release of the Fourth Periodic Report on the State of Acid Deposition in East Asia (PRSAD4) and the opportunities ahead for the EANET, in line with the expansion of its scope to air pollution, including the launch of the EANET Project Fund.

.

General Lecture – Key Findings from the Fourth Periodic Report on the State of Acid Deposition in East Asia (PRSAD4)

Since 2006, the EANET has been developing Periodic Reports on the State of Acid Deposition in East Asia (PRSADs), published every five years, and aiming at providing high-quality data to be used for research, formulation of policies, and measures to reduce the impacts of acid deposition and related air pollutants on the environment. In 2022, the Fourth Periodic Report on the State of Acid Deposition in East Asia (PRSAD4), will be released.

Prof. Meng Fan, Former Chairperson of the PRSAD4 Drafting Committee and Deputy Director General in charge of the Network Center for EANET, Asia Center for Air Pollution Research (ACAP), presented the General Lecture: Key Findings from the Fourth Periodic Report on the State of Acid Deposition in East Asia (PRSAD4). Findings and recommendations from the PRSAD4 highlighted the improvement of sulfur dioxide-related air pollution mostly in North-East Asia, while nitrogen deposition, particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, and ozone-related pollution were detected at a high level in the EANET region. The importance to continue deploying more monitoring sites was expressed.

.

Panel Discussion – From data to policy, good practices for evidence-based and data-driven policies in East Asia

The Panel Discussion gathered renowned scientists and key policymakers from the EANET Participating Countries. Discussions focused on the importance of regional cooperation and multilateralism to address global environmental problems including acid deposition and air pollution. Findings from the PRSAD4 were also discussed, in the specific context of Malaysia, Mongolia, Thailand, and the Philippines. Most panelists highlighted the incredible capacity-building efforts led by the EANET in the past twenty years, on emission inventories, acid deposition regulations, and monitoring support which have indirectly contributed to the development of regional policies. Finally, the panel also shared thoughts on the role EANET may play by helping fill the gap of the right to information on air pollution, as the right to a clean environment and clean air was recently included as a human right by the United Nations.

.

Useful Resources

Read a more detailed summary of the Workshop’s content in the EANET Awareness Workshop in 2022 Event Report.

.

View all Workshop’s recordings on the Secretariat for the EANET’s YouTube channel and the Workshop’s photos on Flickr.

 

 

 

 

 

.

Photo credits: All rights reserved to EANET.

The 13th International Workshop on Atmospheric Modeling Research in East Asia

1 February 2023 – Niigata, Japan

The Network Center for the EANET co-organized the 13th International Workshop on Atmospheric Modeling Research in East Asia with the community of MICS-Asia, on 22-23 December 2022. About 60 participants joined the virtual workshop.

.

Improving Air Quality Models: from Data to Policy

According to the United States Environment Protection Agency (EPA), air quality modeling is “a mathematical simulation of how air pollutants disperse and react in the atmosphere to affect ambient air quality.” Through these calculations, researchers and policymakers develop predicted scenarios and design strategies to reduce the adverse effects of air pollution.

Over the years, the EANET has maintained a close relationship with the community of Model Inter-Comparison Studies for Asia (MICS-Asia). The International Workshop on Atmospheric Modeling Research in East Asia is a regular workshop of MICS-Asia which has received support from the EANET throughout the previous Medium Term Plans and was part of the EANET Project Activities in 2022. Summaries of previous MICS-Asia workshops are available in the Reports of the Session of the Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) on the EANET.

Four working groups were established as part of the MICS-Asia Phase IV: the Air Quality Model working group, the Air Quality and Climate Model working group, the Emission Inventory working group, and the Observation working group. MICS-Asia Phase IV working groups focus on specific issues including the intercomparison of air quality models, the study of the influence of climate change on the status of air quality, the development of reliable emission inventories for model working groups, and the survey and collection of data to establish trends of concentrations of air pollutants in East Asia.

Among other sources, MICS-Asia experts referred to the results of the EANET’s 4th Periodic Report on the State of Acid Deposition in East Asia (PRSAD4) and to the EANET monitoring data to conduct their research.

Screenshot from some participants during the virtual 13th International Workshop on Atmospheric Modeling Research in East Asia

.

Modeling and Impact Assessment Studies

During the workshop, international experts in modeling and impact assessment studies shared various presentations based on research activities in Asia and beyond.

Dr. Christian Hogrefe, from the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency, introduced the Air Quality Modelling Evaluation International Initiative Phase 4 (AQMEII4) which applies detailed dry deposition diagnostics to a range of air quality models and their deposition schemes. Dr. Baozhu Ge, from the Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Science, shared a presentation on the enhanced wet deposition of nitrogen induced by a landfalling typhoon over East Asia. Dr. Natsumi Kawano, from the Center for Environmental Science, in Saitama, Japan, gave a presentation on the impact of future climate change on tropospheric ozone in Japan using the WRF-CMAQ modeling system and the RCP8.5 scenario. Dr. Syuichi Itahashi, from the Central Research Institute of Electric Power Industry, Japan, shared a presentation on the changes in transboundary aerosol components due to the emission variations in East Asia. Dr. Xiao Tang, from the Institute of Atmospheric Physics, Chinese Academy of Science, gave a presentation on high-resolution aerosol data over China simulated by the NAQPMS modeling system and an inversed emission inventory. Dr. Naoyuki Yamashita, from the Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, Japan, shared a presentation on the critical load of soil acidification and surface water eutrophication in the EANET Participating Countries, and Dr. Baiyao Xu, from Nanjing University, China, gave a presentation on the impacts of meteorological factors and ozone variation on crop yields in China related to the carbon neutrality objectives in 2060 and based on RegCM-Chem-YIBs.

Results from the MICS-Asia Phase IV working groups’ research activities and collaboration with international experts will allow to improve the scientific understanding of air quality issues in the region, but also provide informed knowledge for policy-making in Asia.

.

Useful Resources

.

Photo credits: featured photo of Dong Van, Viet Nam (2021) by Giles Freeman on Unsplash ; other photos: all rights reserved to EANET.

The State of Acid Deposition in East Asia, from data to policy – Join us on 20 June!

.

The registration is now closed.

.

1. Background

The Acid Deposition Monitoring Network in East Asia (EANET) was established in 2001 as a regional intergovernmental network to promote cooperation among countries in East Asia to address acid deposition problems. The Network is composed of 13 Participating Countries and its main objectives are:

    • to create a common understanding of the state of acid deposition problems in East Asia;
    • to provide useful inputs for decision-making at the local, national, and regional levels aimed at preventing, or reducing adverse impacts on the environment caused by acid deposition;
    • and to contribute to cooperation on the issues related to acid deposition among the participating countries.

In the last 20 years, the EANET has made excellent progress in acid deposition monitoring cooperation. The Network has fostered a regional acid deposition monitoring methodology and scientific exchange platforms which have contributed gradually to solving acid deposition problems in East Asia.

However, due to rapid economic growth and industrialization, many countries in the East Asia region are still facing serious threats from acid deposition related pollutants, in a more global context where almost the entire global population (99%) breathes air that exceeds the World Health Organization’s air quality limits, hindering populations’ right to a healthy environment.

Since 2006, the EANET has been developing Periodic Reports on the State of Acid Deposition in East Asia (PRSADs), published every four to five years, and aiming at providing high-quality data to be used for research, formulation of policies, and measures to reduce the impacts of acid deposition and related air pollutants on the environment. In 2022, the Fourth Periodic Report on the State of Acid Deposition in East Asia (PRSAD4), prepared by a Drafting Committee composed of members from the 13 EANET Participating Countries, will be released.

In November 2021, the Secretariat for the EANET organized the EANET Science and Policy Dialogue outreach event. In the results of the survey from the EANET Science and Policy Dialogue Event Report, it was suggested to discuss the findings from the Fourth Periodic Report on the State of Acid Deposition in East Asia (PRSAD4).

In November 2021, the IG23 approved the Work Programme and Budget of EANET in 2022, among which Objective 4, Activity 10: Promotion of public awareness on acid deposition, including other priority chemical species. In this respect, and in line with the efforts to facilitate the sharing of a common understanding of atmospheric environmental issues among the scientific and policy-makers communities, the EANET Awareness Workshop in 2022 will be organized virtually on Monday, 20 June 13:00-16:00 (ICT) under the name “The State of Acid Deposition in East Asia – from data to policy”.

.

2. Objectives and Participants

The EANET Awareness Workshop is expected to increase public understanding of acid deposition issues, appreciate the work achieved in the last 20 years by the EANET from the monitoring, research, and policymaking perspectives, and generate collaboration ideas for future EANET Projects, based on the findings and recommendations from the PRSAD4.

The EANET Awareness Workshop is open to the public, but will mainly be attended by the EANET National Focal Points, Scientific Advisory Committee members, policymakers and national researchers and scientists of the Network’s 13 Participating Countries, and representatives of partner organizations working on acid deposition and air pollution-related issues.

.

3. Programme

The virtual event will focus on sharing key findings from the PRSAD4, from the lead authors’ perspective, and provide some highlights for EANET Participating Countries’ policy-makers and other representatives, by sharing recommendations (on inputs for policies, technological improvements, and best practices…). The goal is to provide a discussion forum to brainstorm ideas to foster future projects and cooperation in the region.

.

.

4. The Speakers (in order of appearance)

Dr. Isabelle Louis

Dr. Isabelle Louis, Deputy Regional Director of UNEP Asia Pacific office, has over 25 years of experience in sustainable development and natural resource management at global, Asia Pacific regional and national levels. She coordinates the UNEP’s work programme in the region pursuant to the organization’s mandate to support UN Member States on issues related to the environment, sustainability and the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. She oversees UNEP’s work related to strategic priorities:  climate change, pollution, nature-based solutions, resource efficiency, environmental law and governance, with approaches including science-based policies, sustainable financing, gender, human rights, and environment and health. She also facilitates UNEP’s strategic partnerships in the region.

.

Mr. Kenichiro Fukunaga

Mr. Kenichiro Fukunaga is the Deputy Director General in charge of Administrative Management at Asia Center for Air Pollution Research (ACAP). He provides support to the strategic development of the EANET in ACAP, including tackling the EANET transition period tasks of introducing the new EANET Project mechanism through communication and collaboration with various stakeholders, both internally and externally.

.

Ms. Courtney Savie Lawrence

Ms. Courtney Savie Lawrence currently works with the UNDP Chief Digital Office and UNICEF’s Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Teams on all things climate innovation, tech and digital while also coleading the Oxford Climate Tech Initiative and the Circular Design Lab as a volunteer. Over the past 15 years she has lived, worked and traveled across more than 70 countries with a laser focus on positive impact and is currently earning her Executive MBA at the University of Oxfrord’s Saïd Business School focused on the green transition.

.

Prof. Meng Fan

Prof. Meng Fan is the Deputy Director General in charge of the Network Center for EANET, Asia Center for Air Pollution Research (ACAP). Prior to this position, he has been deputy chief engineer, director of the Institute of Atmospheric Environment and director of the Research Department for the 2+26 Cities in Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei of Chinese Academy of Environmental Sciences (CRAES). He has been conducting research in the field of air quality modeling, atmospheric chemistry, air pollution control policy and synergistic control of air pollution and climate change. Dr. Meng Fan has been published as author and co-author of over 80 papers in highly regarded, peer-reviewed journals and is also adjunct professor and doctoral supervisor of Beijing Normal University and Tongji University of China.

.

Mr. Jamalulail bin Abu Bakar

Mr. Jamalulail bin Abu Bakar is the Undersecretary for the Environmental Management Division, Ministry of Environment and Water, Malaysia.  He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Fishery from Agriculture University Malaysia (UPM) and a Master’s Degree in Corporate Communication from University Putra Malaysia (UPM). He was appointed as Administration and Diplomatic Officer in 1996 and posted at the Ministry of Agriculture. Since then, he has been working with various agencies and ministries including Embassy of Malaysia in the Rep. of Ireland, Public Service Department (JPA), Ministry of Higher Education, National Public Service Institute (INTAN) and Ministry of Education (MOE). He has a vast experience in international cooperation in agriculture cooperation and higher education promotion and marketing. Mr. Jamalulail joined Ministry of Environment and Water, Malaysia, in April 2020.

.

Dr. Gantuya Ganbat

Dr. Gantuya Ganbat is an assistant professor of Environmental Engineering at the German-Mongolian Institute for Resources and Technology, Mongolia. She earned her Bachelor and Master degrees in Meteorology from the Russian State Hydrometeorological University, Russia, and Ph.D. in Earth and Environmental Sciences from the Seoul National University, Republic of Korea. She worked for the Meteorological service and the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, Mongolia. She has been involved in regional professional activities, including Scientific Advisory Committee, East Asian Network in Acid Deposition (EANET) since 2018 and Science and Policy Committee, North-East Asia Clean Air Partnership since 2020.

.

Dr. Supat Wangwongwatana

Dr. Supat Wangwongwatana is affiliated with the Faculty of Public Health, Thammasat University as a Senior Specialist in air pollution since 2017. He also serves as a Senior Advisor to the Thailand Environment Institute. Before that, he served in the Royal Thai Government for more than 30 years. He was the Director General of the Pollution Control Department (PCD) for 5 years in charge of the management of air quality, water quality, solid waste, hazardous waste, and chemicals and environmental law enforcement. Dr. Supat Wangwongwatana was awarded multiple awards among which the EANET Award of Recognition for his long term involvement and contribution from the start of the EANET, and in 2016 the Kong Ha Award for Excellence in Air Quality Management from Clean Air Asia (CAA). Between 2012-2015, Dr. Supat Wangwongwatana served as the Coordinator of the EANET Secretariat and a member of the Scientific Advisory Panel of the Clean Air and Climate Coalition. Presently, he serves as a member of the Pollution Control Board of Thailand, a member of the Senate Sub-Commission on Environment, the Senior Advisor of Thailand Environment Institute (TEI), and the co-chair of the Advisory Group of Asian Co-benefit Partnership (AC).

.

Prof. Hajime Akimoto

Prof. Hajime Akimoto received PhD in 1967 in physical chemistry from Tokyo Institute of Technology. After spending three years at the University of California, Riverside, as a postdoc, he has worked at the National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES), University of Tokyo, Frontier Research Center for Global Change at JAMSTEC. From 2009 to 2015, he served as DG of Asia Center for Air pollution Research (ACAP). After retiring from ACAP, he is now a guest scientist at NIES. His expertise is in atmospheric chemistry, and formation mechanisms of ozone and secondary aerosols. Recently, he focused his interest in the science and policy interface on SLCP co-control for air pollution and climate change mitigation.

.

Dr. Mushtaq Memon

Dr. Mushtaq Ahmed Memon is a Regional Coordinator for Chemicals and Pollution Action Subprogramme with the United Nations Environment Programme, Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific. He is a Pakistani national, and he is working with UNEP since 1 April 2005 for more than 17 years including 12 years at UNEP-IETC for water and sanitation, and waste management; and 5 years at UNEP-ROAP. He leads UNEP’s COVID-19 Response on COVID-19 waste management, he is also the Project Manager of the EU-funded SWITCH-Asia. He supervises GO4SDGs in the region. He led the Low-Carbon Lifestyle Challenge Startups. He got his PhD in Japan and a MSc in the UK. He published papers in international journals, participated in major global events, and delivered various training programmes.

.

Dr. Zhu Meihua

Dr. Meihua Zhu serves as a senior researcher in the Planning and Training Department & Atmospheric Research Department for Asia Center for Air Pollution Research (ACAP). Her research interests include regional environmental cooperation, air pollution regulations, and policies. Besides research, she also plays a vital role in achieving the goals of EANET and ACAP in improving air quality and addressing air pollution problems through international collaboration, capacity building, and training.

.

Mr. Victor Bernard

Mr. Victor Bernard is the Raoul Wallenberg Institute’s (RWI) programme officer specialised in the interlinkages between human rights and the environment. In this capacity, he leads many of RWI’s research and capacity development initiatives in Asia and the Pacific to strengthen knowledge bases on human rights, gender equality and the environment. In addition, he oversees technical support on integrating a rights-based approach into environmental programmes in collaboration with the Stockholm Environment Institute.

.

Mr. Bert Fabian

Mr. Bert Fabian is the Coordinator of the Secretariat for the EANET. He has been with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) as a Programme Officer since 2013 as lead for the Sustainable Mobility Unit’s activities in Asia and the Pacific. He has supported more than 15 countries in developing policies on transport, air pollution, and climate change and managed projects worth about 13.5 million USD including about 5.6 million USD allocated for Asia and the Pacific. Mr. Fabian coordinated the activities of UNEP with the Global Fuel Economy Initiative and managed the Electric 2&3 Wheelers project in East Africa and Southeast Asia. He also managed projects on strengthening the air quality management community of practice in Asia and the Pacific and on understanding the relationships between COVID-19 and air quality impacts, policies, and measures in cities.

.

For further inquiries, contact the EANET Secretariat.