Tag: Thailand

National Stakeholders’ Awareness Workshop in the Philippines on EANET in 2023

Posted on by Aurélia Lemoine

26 May 2023 – Manilla, Philippines

The National Stakeholder Awareness Workshop in the Philippines on EANET: Promoting acid deposition and air quality management in East Asia was held in Manila, on 26 May 2023, in cooperation with the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources  (DENR), Philippines, and the Institute of Environmental Science and Meteorology (IESM), University of the Philippines. It aimed at showcasing the achievements and activities of the EANET over the last 20 years, including activities involving the Philippines and encouraging cooperation between EANET and Philippine stakeholders in the implementation of the expanded scope and the EANET Project Fund activities. The Workshop was held at the Institute of Environmental Science and Meteorology, College of Science, University of the Philippines-Diliman, and gathered around 70 participants.

The stakeholder Workshop was organized back-to-back with the Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) Project Advisory Group Meeting in Manilla, as part of the EANET VOC Project in 2023.

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Promoting Acid Deposition and Air Quality Management for over 20 Years

Bert Fabian, Coordinator of the Secretariat for the EANET welcomed the participants and thanked the EMB-DENR and UP-IESM for their cooperation and support. He explained EANET’s expansion of scope to cover more projects and activities on air pollution. He encouraged participants and stakeholders to do more research and activities on acid deposition and air pollution and promote partnerships and collaboration.

Presentations were delivered by Prof. Meng Fan, from the Asia Center for Air Pollution (ACAP) and Network Center for the EANET, Mr. Sammy Aytona from the Environment Management Bureau Philippines (EMB), Mr. Chadbert Aquino, from EMB, and Ms. Everlyn Gayle Tamayo from Clean Air Asia.

Prof. Fan Meng presented EANET’s findings over 20 years, noting improvements in Sulfur dioxide-related air pollution in Northeast Asia but stressing the need to address particulate matter in Southeast Asia. Persistent high levels of nitrogen oxides and ozone pollution were also discussed, highlighting the importance of expanding monitoring for effective air quality monitoring and assessment. EANET is supporting such efforts as part of its individual training program primarily for government officials in the EANET countries and showcasing the network’s commitment to capacity building.

Mr. Aytona presented acid deposition monitoring activities in the Philippines, including plans to enhance monitoring and raise awareness about EANET activities. Mr. Aquino emphasized the challenges and opportunities in Philippine air quality management, emphasizing comprehensive strategies and stakeholder collaboration.

Ms. Tamayo highlighted the significance of monitoring, emissions inventory, modeling, and health impact assessment, and introduced decision-making resources. Collaboration among government, industries, academia, and civil society was emphasized for effective air quality management.

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National Stakeholders’ Awareness Workshop in the Philippines on EANET in 2023 in-person participants.

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Panel Discussion: Interventions from EANET Experts on Air Quality Monitoring Challenges and Implications for the Philippines

Professor Hong Li (CRAES, China) emphasized setting clear goals, developing a long-term plan, and establishing strong coordination and robust emissions inventory at the local level. She suggested implementing a 10-point policy framework and continuously updating standards and intervention measures.

Dr. Toshimasa Ohara (CESS, Japan) showcased Japan’s success in mitigating air pollution while maintaining economic growth. He highlighted the reduction of bio emissions but emphasized the challenge of addressing chemical ozone. He expressed hope for EANET’s role in addressing air quality problems in the Philippines.

Dr. Kessinee Unapumnak (PCD, Thailand) presented Thailand’s Air Quality Management Framework and shared activities such as area-based management, sectoral approach, public relations management, and increasing public awareness. She emphasized the importance of inter-ministerial cooperation and effective policy implementation.

Professor Gangwoong Lee (HUFS, Republic of Korea) emphasized the potential contribution of citizens in reducing Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). He praised the Philippines’ efforts in monitoring PM2.5 and VOCs and encouraged the country to persist in its air quality improvement endeavors.

The EANET workshop concluded with experts emphasizing the importance of clear goals, long-term planning, and strong coordination in air quality management. They highlighted the need for continuous updates of regulations, citizen involvement, and evidence-based policies. Dr. Shiro Hatakeyma, Director General of ACAP, delivered the closing remarks.

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Interested in participating in an EANET Project? Find out more on the EANET Project Fund.

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Useful resources:

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Photo credits: featured image by Brutalist Pilipinas, 2021, free of rights; all other photos: all rights reserved to EANET.

EANET Experts discuss monitoring and management issues for VOC: Insights from the Manila Advisory Group Meeting

Posted on by Aurélia Lemoine

13 July 2023 – Bangkok, Thailand

The EANET Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) Project Advisory Group Meeting was held in Manila from 24-26 May 2023 including laboratory and VOC monitoring site surveys, resulting in finalizing activities in the Philippines and Mongolia and other recommendations for the VOC project’s progress.

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The VOC Project Advisory Group Meeting

The Network Center for the EANET, organized the EANET VOC Advisory Group Meeting in Manila, Philippines, as part of the EANET « Project for the feasibility for promotion of VOCs related capacity building in EANET » Project Activity in 2023.

The first meeting for the project took place in February 2023. As part of this project, it was decided to create an Advisory Group, composed of experts from Japan, the Republic of Korea, China, Thailand, and from the Network Center, to give guidance on feasible measurement methods, data analysis, identification of the target species to measure VOCs, and feasible reduction measures. During the meeting, the Advisory Group members considered methods like DOAS (Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy), canister sampling, sorbent tubes, and passive samplers. They emphasized the importance of source identification and reducing toxic VOCs, and discussed the use of low-cost sensors.

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Participants to the EANET VOC Advisory Group Meeting with the representatives of the Government of the Philippines (EMB-DENR)

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Lab Survey, VOC Monitoring Site Visit, and Stakeholder Workshop

A laboratory survey was conducted at the Environmental Research and Laboratory Services Division (ERLSD), Environmental Management Bureau (EMB), and the Institute of Environmental Science and Meteorology (IESM), College of Science, University of the Philippines. On the following day, the mission continued with a VOC monitoring site survey at the Region III Air Quality Management Section (AQMS) in Pampanga. This survey aimed to assess the monitoring of volatile organic compounds in that specific area. The next morning, a summary discussion and bilateral meeting took place between the Philippine representatives, the Network Center, and Secretariat for the EANET. This meeting provided an opportunity to share their findings, insights, and recommendations. Finally, on the afternoon of 26 May, the National Stakeholder Awareness Workshop: Promoting acid deposition and air quality management in East Asia was held to address air quality management challenges and explore potential solutions tailored to the specific context of the Philippines.

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Site visit in Pampanga, Region III

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VOC Advisory Group Recommendations and Highlights

The VOC project Advisory group meeting involved thirty-six participants and facilitated in-depth information exchanges and discussions among project stakeholders and advisory group members. Recommendations for the project plan were compiled based on the insights gained from the laboratory and monitoring assessments during the mission.

The Advisory Group emphasized that the final goal of the project is to reduce Ozone and PM2.5 pollution. For this purpose, understanding the status of VOCs and exploring the best solutions for their reduction is key. The Advisory Group discussed VOCs measurement methodologies and a methodology for estimating Secondary Organic Aerosol (SOA) contribution and source apportionment of VOCs.

Among their recommendations, the Advisory group considered prioritizing monitoring of BTX (Benzene, Toluene, Xylene) in the Philippines and Mongolia. Methods such as Canister/Gas Chromatography/Flame Ionization Detection/Mass Spectrometry (GC/FID/MS) and Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (DOAS) were recommended to be compared. Sampling should be conducted for 24 hours over two weeks at various locations. Capacity building for Volatile Organic Compounds monitoring was considered crucial. Re-establishing Canister/Sorbent Tube-GC/FID/MS methods (TO14/14a/15/15a) in the lab is recommended. Training, consumables, and support for monitoring and analysis were considered important. Developing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for VOCs monitoring and formulating air quality guidelines are the key objectives.

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The mission in the Philippines received financial contributions from the Ministry of the Environment, Japan (MOEJ) and significant in-kind contributions from the Philippines, for which the organizers expressed their appreciation.

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The VOC project has been funded by The Ministry of Environment, Japan (MOEJ), through the EANET Project Fund.

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Useful Resources:

-Read the meeting highlights on the Environmental Management Bureau’s (EMB) website.

-View the EANET VOC Project Advisory Group Meeting photos on Flickr

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Photo credits: Cover photo by Louis (2015), all other photos, all rights reserved to the EANET.

The Twenty-fourth Session of the Intergovernmental Meeting on the Acid Deposition Monitoring Network in East Asia

Posted on by Aurélia Lemoine

28 November 2022 – Manila, Philippines

The Twenty-fourth Session of the Intergovernmental Meeting on the Acid Deposition Monitoring Network in East Asia (IG24) took place from 24 to 25 November 2022, in a hybrid mode, in Manila, Philippines. It gathered over 70 representatives from the EANET Participating Countries, the Secretariat and Network Center for the EANET, and observers from the academia and INGO, to make important decisions on the implementation of the EANET’s expansion of scope and new Project Fund, among other topics.

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The Twenty-fourth Session of the Intergovernmental Meeting on the EANET

Hosted and Chaired by the Philippines, the IG24 started with the Welcome Remarks by the Undersecretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) of the Philippines, Mr. Juan Miguel Cuna, followed by Opening Remarks by Dr. Isabelle Louis, Deputy Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, UNEP, and by Dr. Hatakeyama, Director General, Asia Center for Air Pollution Research (ACAP). Remarks focused on the longtime active collaboration of the Philippines as an EANET Participating Country, on the importance of the expansion of the scope of the EANET, and the establishment of the EANET Project Fund, with the ambition for the Network to contribute the collective efforts to lead both science and policy actions to improve air quality in the region. The IG24 Session Bureau was Vice-Chaired by Japan and by the Republic of Korea, and Cambodia as Rapporteur. UNEP’s Goodwill Ambassador for the Philippines and award-winning actress, singer, host, and environmental advocate Antoinette Taus also joined the dinner hosted by the Government of the Philippines.

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Extended Cooperation to Fight Acid Deposition and Air Pollution

Among the first agenda items, an update was provided on the approval status of the Supplementary Document (Annex) to the Instrument for Strengthening the EANET among the Participating Countries, with most of the countries having already completed this process. The Philippines reported this completion during the IG24 meeting itself, while Thailand completed it on 22 November as reported by the Prime Minister’s office in the Thai national daily newspaper Matichon. Through this Annex, Participating Countries agreed to work on an expanded list of air pollutants beyond acid deposition, including among others, Particulate matter and Volatile Organic Compounds.

From left to right: Participants during the hybrid IG24 meeting in Manila, Philippines, and Mr. Bert Fabian, Coordinator, Secretariat for the EANET, showing the Annex to the Instrument signed by the Philippines at the meeting.

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Nearly US$500,000 allocated to Projects supported by the EANET Project Fund
List of Projects Plans approved by the IG24 for 2023

Alongside other important topics, the Session discussed and approved the first batch of “EANET Project Plans” funded through the EANET Project Fund, a new financial mechanism allowing collaboration with implementation partners and co-financing from outside the EANET Network.

The Estimated Income for Project Activities in 2023 is US$489,700, including funding from EANET, additional financial support from Japan (MOEJ) from the Republic of Korea (NIER), and the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and in-kind support from Japan (JARI, NIES), Mongolia, the Philippines, and Viet Nam (IMHEN, MONRE) which will allow the implementation of 8 projects. Focusing mainly on research studies and capacity building, these projects include work related to the effects of atmospheric deposition on ecosystems, Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC), Low-Cost Sensors (LCS), Particulate Matter source apportionment in major cities, training on monitoring, emission inventory and research fellowship program.

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The call for EANET Projects’ proposals for 2024 is open, find out more on the Call for Proposals page.

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Ways forward

In addition to these key decisions, the IG24 also approved several important documents, including the Work Program and Budget of the EANET in 2023, and the organization of key meetings in 2023 such as the Working Group Meeting in 2023 (WG2023), the 23rd Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC23) and the 25th Session of the Intergovernmental Meeting on the EANET (IG25).

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Read the Report of IG24, and discover the hybrid meeting’s pictures on Flickr.

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Photos credits: all rights reserved to EANET.

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

Posted on by Aurélia Lemoine

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Useful Resources

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

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

 

 

 

 

 

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Photo credits: All rights reserved to EANET.

The EANET Emission Inventory Webinar Workshop on Open Biomass Burning

Posted on by Aurélia Lemoine

8 December 2022 – Niigata, Japan

The Network Center (NC) for the EANET organized the EANET Emission Inventory Webinar Workshop on Open Biomass Burning on 5 December 2022 gathering expert panelists from Japan, Thailand, the USA, and about 50 participants from the EANET countries. Starting with lecture presentations on methodologies to estimate emissions from open biomass burning sources, evaluate uncertainties in estimated emissions, and analyze influences of emissions using air quality models, the Workshop also included, in the second session, presentations from participants on open biomass burning emissions in their respective countries, concluded by discussions on the EANET’s potential role and activities related to open biomass burning.

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Expert Lectures and Use Cases on Open Biomass-Burning Emission Inventories from Asia and Beyond
Screenshot from some panelists and participants during the virtual Workshop

Dr. Savitri Garivait from the Joint Graduate School of Energy and Environment, Centre of Excellence on Energy Technology and Environment, King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi, Thailand, presented a comprehensive lecture introducing basic knowledge and information related to open biomass burning emissions. First, Dr. Savitri introduced various types of open biomass burning, namely, forest fires, agricultural waste burning, and solid waste burning. Then, she presented methodologies to estimate emissions from open biomass burning such as basic equations, how to collect activity data as well as information necessary for spatial distribution and temporal variation, and selection of emission factors. To produce activity data, Dr. Savitri emphasized the importance of questionnaire surveys on local and specific data, in order to reduce uncertainties. She finally presented detailed case studies on the evaluation of the contribution of emissions from open biomass burning to the overall emissions and air pollution in Thailand and the Bangkok Metropolitan Region.

 

Dr. Kristofer Lasko, from the Geospatial Research Laboratory, at the Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC), United States, provided a lecture focusing on uncertainties of open biomass burning emission inventories, especially on the amount of burned dry matter based on satellite observation data, emission factors for different biomass burning types, and land cover type maps to determine which emission factors to be applied. In his presentation, he explained the major causes of uncertainties based on satellite data including influences of cloud coverage at or near the time of burning, the insufficient spatial resolution to detect agricultural fires, and the limitation in determining actual burned amounts in the field via remote sensing data. For emission factors, Dr. Lasko emphasized the difficulty is not only the uncertainty of each factor but also the variations due to aspects such as variation in burning practices (e.g., piled residue burn vs. open field burn) and moisture. In his presentation, case studies for PM2.5 emission inventories of Viet Nam and the Southeast Asian region were also showcased.

Dr. Katsuhige Uranishi, Department of Life and Environment Engineering, Faculty of Environmental Engineering, the University of Kitakyushu, Japan, provided a lecture about how to evaluate the influences of emissions from open biomass burning on the air quality of neighboring areas using air quality models. First, Dr. Uranishi introduced the basic knowledge and settings of an air quality modeling system by using the Weather Research and Forecasting model and Community Multiscale Air Quality model (WRF/CMAQ) system as an example. He then also presented the Brute-force method, a typical methodology to estimate the contribution of PM2.5 sources using an air quality modeling system. Finally, Dr. Uranishi explained simulation examples for the evaluation of PM2.5 transboundary transport, through case studies in Japan. Because uncertainties are not only in open biomass burning emissions but also in the modeling systems, Dr. Uranishi emphasized that the model performance must be evaluated with observation data prior to estimating air pollution levels or impact. He also recommended reviewing past studies to find appropriate settings of air quality modeling systems to target specific problems.

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Open Biomass-Burning Emissions Status and Control Measures in East Asia

Participants, in the second session, shared various information about open biomass burning emissions in their respective countries. The presentations covered major sources of open biomass burning emissions and how the emissions are estimated or evaluated in each participant’s country. They also considered how open burning influences air quality and what current control measures are in place in each represented country. These presentations and practical activities were followed by discussions on the EANET’s Project Activities related to open biomass burning emissions including national emission inventories to be organized in 2023.

Participants expressed interest to attend future capacity-building activities related to emission inventories not only from open biomass burning but also from other sources. The monitoring of emission sources to determine local emission factors was also suggested. The NC for the EANET, the organizer of the Workshop will consider the possible future activities to the EANET Project Fund.

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Useful Resources

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Photo credits: featured photo of Pom Coong Village, Viet Nam (2020) by Patrick McGregor on Unsplash ; other photos: all rights reserved to EANET.

EANET kicks-off its first Project Fund Activity on Volatile Organic Compounds

Posted on by Aurélia Lemoine

16 February 2023 – Niigata, Japan

Under the leadership of the Ministry of Environment of Japan and with the technical support of the Network Center for the EANET, the first EANET Project Activity launched its online kick-off meeting on 15 February. It gathered over 40 participants mainly from Japan, Mongolia, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, and Thailand, involved in sharing or receiving technical assistance related to Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) monitoring.

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Why Volatile Organic Compounds?

Since the recent expansion of the scope of the EANET from acid deposition monitoring to wider air pollution action, the Network has started to carry out activities related to additional chemical species, including Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs).

VOCs are “compounds that have a high vapor pressure and low water solubility. Many VOCs are human-made chemicals that are used and produced in the manufacture of paints, pharmaceuticals, and refrigerants” according to the US-EPA. In addition, several emission sources such as biogenic emissions, forest fires, waste burning including plastic, automobile exhaust, fossil fuel burning, and stock farming can produce VOCs. Exposure to VOCs may have various dangerous health effects from eyes, throat, and nose irritation to more serious conditions such as liver, kidney, or central nervous system damage, sometimes leading to cancer.

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Representation of PM2.5 and Ozone Co-contrail, by Prof. Hajime Akimoto (all rights reserved).

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VOCs are also precursors of particulate matter and ozone. It is important to measure VOCs to better understand how to mitigate air pollutants emissions.

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Learning more about VOCs emissions in East Asia

VOCs monitoring is complex due to its complicated source characteristics and costly measuring technology. For this reason, its monitoring is still at an early stage in Asia.

The “Feasibility for Promoting VOCs related Capacity Building in the EANET” project is part of the first batch of EANET Projects funded by the EANET Project Fund. Supported by the Ministry of the Environment, Japan, the project is coordinated by the Network Center for the EANET.

Through this project, experts in VOCs from the Center for Environmental Science in Saitama (CESS), in Japan will share their knowledge and assist the government officials from Mongolia and from the Philippines to develop their 3-year national implementation plan. During the kick-off meeting, Government representatives from the Philippines and Mongolia shared their plans and priorities for tackling VOCs.

Screenshot from participants during the kick-off meeting

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In addition, a VOC Advisory Group composed of experts from the NC and EANET countries has been brought together and will also give guidance on feasible measurement methods, data analysis, identification of the target species to measure VOCs, and feasible reduction measures.

At this stage, the implementation partners are environmentalists from Mongolia and from the Philippines. However, the project’s goal is to serve all the EANET countries and be further replicated.

The next meeting will take place in person in Manila in May 2023 to continue discussions on the feasibility and methodology of VOCs management.

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Interested in finding out more about the EANET Project Fund? Read more on how to fund or submit an EANET Project.

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Photo credits: featured photo by Anton Eprev on Unsplash (2019); other photos: all rights reserved to EANET.

EANET Seminar: Learnings on Reducing Emissions from Open Burning

Posted on by Aurélia Lemoine

7 September 2022 – Niigata, Japan

The Network Center for the EANET organized the Seminar « Learnings on Reducing Emissions from Open Burning » in a hybrid format, in Suwon, Republic of Korea, and online, on 6 September 2022, with the Asia Pacific Clean Air Partnership (APCAP) (UNEP) and the Institute for Global Environmental Strategy (IGES) as co-organizers. The Seminar focused on good practices to reduce emissions from open burning and presented sustainable alternatives to improve air quality in the region. 144 participants from 17 countries from the Asian region and beyond joined the Seminar.

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Opening Session

Moderated by Ms. Maria Katherina Patdu, Associate Programme Officer – Asia Pacific Clean Air Partnership (APCAP) (UNEP), the Seminar started with the Opening and Welcome Remarks by Dr. Shiro Hatakeyama, Director General of the Asia Center for Air Pollution Research (ACAP) in charge of the NC for the EANET, and by Dr. Mushtaq Memon, Regional Coordinator for Chemicals and Pollution Action Subprogramme, UNEP Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific. Dr. Memon also co-moderated the second part of the Seminar.

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Dr. Shiro Hatakeyama and Dr. Mushtaq Memon delivered the opening remarks.

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Remarks emphasized the new role of the EANET with the expansion of its scope from acid deposition to air pollution (including PM2.5), and the technical and financial challenges leading to open burning practices in the region.

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Open Biomass Burning and Regional Challenges

Dr. Supat Wangwongwatana, a Senior Instructor of the Faculty of Public Health, at Thammasat University, Thailand, presented the various causes of open burning in Thailand, with a particular focus on Northern Thailand’s situation and showed the direct impacts on air quality, the environment, and public health. In his presentation, he highlighted the challenges and needs for more government-driven incentives, policies, technical assistance, and education toward non-burning agricultural practices.

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Panelists during the Seminar. From left to right: Ms. Maria Katherina Patdu, Dr. Supat Wangwongwatana, Ms. Etwin Sabarini, Dr. Eric Zusman, Dr. Alison Simcox, and Ms. Azka Ghaida.

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Sharing Good Practices to Reduce Open Burning

Ms. Etwin Sabarini, Programme Coordinator, Measurable Action for Haze-Free Sustainable Land Management in Southeast Asia (MAHFSA), ASEAN Secretariat introduced the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution. She explained the history, objective, and framework of the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution and focused her talk on the ASEAN Peatland Management Strategy (APMS) initiative aiming at conserving peatlands, the largest carbon store in the ASEAN region.

Ms. Do Van Nguyet, Director at Live & Learn for Environment and Community, then shared examples of good practices from Viet Nam, including their collective action to control open burning in Hanoi. These included: policy development, monitoring, and technical assistance with a special focus on multi-stakeholder engagement.

Dr. Eric Zusman, a Senior Policy Researcher and Area Leader at the Institute for Global Environmental Strategy (IGES), presented priority actions in Southeast Asia to reduce open burning, and possible solutions, while analyzing barriers to their implementation based on the example of Thailand. To deal with these barriers, he explained the polycentric system approach, where different governing authorities may organize themselves in non-hierarchical relationships, and he emphasized the need to mix solutions of alternatives to open burning.

Dr. Alison Simcox, from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US-EPA), shared an overview of agricultural burning and smoke management in the USA. After explaining the history of agricultural burning practices, she detailed the recent changes in practices and the role of the Environmental Protection Agency (US-EPA) focusing on the Smoke Management Program (SMP) and on alternatives to burning in the USA, such as no-till farming.

Dr. Ken Yamashita summarized the Seminar.

Ms. Azka Ghaida, an Air Quality and Climate Research Analyst at the World Resources Institute (WRI) in Indonesia, presented the use case of crop residue open burning in Indonesia by explaining the cause of the phenomenon, the government’s action, the barriers, and the solutions such as education and community involvement, sustainable farming and farm management practices.

Dr. Ken Yamashita who is Head of the Planning and Training Department at the Network Center for the EANET (ACAP) thanked all panelists and participants and summarized the Seminar by highlighting the key points of the challenges such as technical, financial limitations but also cultural barriers, and opportunities including mixed alternatives and operating in polycentric governance systems, to reduce open burning practices from ASEAN, Thailand, Indonesia, Viet Nam, and the USA.

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Useful Resources

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For further inquiries, contact the Network Center for the EANET.

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Photo credits: featured photo of Mù Cang Chai, Mù Cang Chai District, Yên Bái, Viet Nam (2020) by Hoach Le Dinh on Unsplash, other photos: all rights reserved to the EANET.

EANET Seminar on Expanding Monitoring Systems using LCS

Posted on by Aurélia Lemoine

23 August 2022 – Niigata, Japan

The Network Center for the EANET organized the Seminar on Expanding Monitoring Systems using Low-Cost Sensor (LCS) online on 21 July 2022. It gathered representatives, experts, and practitioners of air quality monitoring from the EANET Participating Countries, and other participants from international organizations, academia, and monitoring-related service providers. 127 participants joined the Seminar.

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Opening Session

The Seminar started with the Opening and Welcome Remarks by Dr. Shiro Hatakeyama, Director General of the Asia Center for Air Pollution Research (ACAP) in charge of the NC for the EANET, and by Dr. Mushtaq Memon, Regional Coordinator for Chemicals and Pollution Action Subprogramme, UNEP Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific. Remarks were followed by an Introductory Presentation by Mr. Taku Ohmura from the Overseas Environmental Cooperation Center, Japan (OECC) on the Overview of issues and opportunities of using LCS for air quality administrations and surveys.

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Understanding Challenges and Opportunities of LCS

Key presentations by Dr. Supat Wangwongwatana, a Senior Instructor of the Faculty of Public Health, at Thammasat University, Thailand, and by Dr. Alison Simcox from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US-EPA), delved into the limitations and opportunities of Low-cost sensor technology (LCS) for measuring air quality in the contexts of Thailand and of the United States.

Dr. Keiichi SATO, Head of the Atmospheric Research Department at ACAP, in charge of the NC for the EANET, then introduced the results of a survey on a Hybrid Air Quality Monitoring Network (HAQMN) and related technical studies in five EANET countries, namely Japan, Indonesia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Viet Nam.

His presentation was followed by discussions and presentations by Ms. Karma Yangzom, a Principal Environment Specialist from the Sustainable Development and Climate Change Department, at the Asian Development Bank (ADB), on ADB’s experience with LCS as part of the Technical Assistance (TA) 9608 on “Strengthening Knowledge and Actions for Air Quality Improvement”, and by Ms. Maria-Katharina Patdu’s presentation, an Associate Programme Officer, from the Asia Pacific Clean Air Partnership (APCAP), at UNEP Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, on air quality data challenges and opportunities in developing Asia.

While the lack of precision of LCS and the variety of qualities and standards of sensors, may lead to data misinterpretation and presentation issues, keynote speakers and panelists mentioned that the cost-efficiency of LCS and the wide use of these air quality sensors by “citizen-scientists” educate the public and inspire behavioral changes. In addition, the effective utilization of regular monitoring data for the quality control of LCS, the importance of consistent city, regional, and country-level monitoring, and the continued cooperation with other networks and international organizations, were also key points presented to mitigate the limitations of LCS.

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Download the Workshop’s Presentations

–Issues of LCS and Efforts Against the Issues: Thailand’s Experiences (presented by Dr. Supat Wangwongwatana)

–US-EPA’s efforts on wise use of LCS (presented by Dr. Alison Simcox)

–Results of the survey on HAQMN and technical studies in some EANET Participating Countries (presented by Dr. Keiichi Sato)

–Experience in using Low-Cost Sensors under ADB TA 9608 (presented by Ms. Karma Yangzom)

–Air quality data challenges and opportunities in developing Asia (presented by Ms. Maria Katherina Patdu)

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For further inquiries, contact the Network Center for the EANET.

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Photo credits: All rights reserved to EANET.

The 20th Anniversary of the EANET

Posted on by Aurélia Lemoine

9 December 2021 – Bangkok, Thailand

The EANET 20th Anniversary celebration was organized online, alongside the Science & Policy Dialogue, on Friday 26th of November 2021, gathering over one hundred participants from 30 countries, to discuss better air quality for all.

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The EANET’s 20th Anniversary Opening Ceremony

Established in 2001 as an intergovernmental network to create a common understanding on the status of acid deposition in East Asia, the Acid Deposition Monitoring Network in East Asia (EANET) celebrated in 2021 its twenty years of successful inter-regional cooperation and activities.

The EANET’s 20th Anniversary celebration was hosted by the Ministry of the Environment, Japan, and H.E. Mr. Yutaka Shoda, the Vice-Minister from the Ministry of the Environment, Japan, opened the celebrations by delivering the Opening Remarks.

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Dr. Dechen Tsering, Regional Director and Representative, UN Environment Programme for Asia and the Pacific shared the event’s Welcome Remarks, followed by Congratulatory Remarks from the EANET National Focal Points from Malaysia, Thailand, and China. These were shared by Mr. Jamalulail bin Abu Bakar, Undersecretary, Environmental Management Division, Ministry of Environment and Water, Malaysia; Ms. Siwaporn Rungsiyanon, Director of the Transboundary Air Pollution Subdivision, Air Quality and Noise Management Division, Pollution Control Department, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Thailand and by Mr. Zhou Jun, Director, Division of Asian, African and Latin American Affairs, Department of International Cooperation, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, China.

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The Launch of the Summary of the Twentieth Anniversary of the EANET

To close the celebrations, Mr. Mohan Kumar Sammathuria, Principal Assistant Director of the Atmospheric Sciences, and Cloud Seeding Division, Malaysian Meteorological Department, Ministry of Environment and Water, Malaysia, and the Chairperson of the EANET Scientific Advisory Committee for 2021-2023, presented the newly launched publication “Summary of the Twentieth Anniversary of the EANET“.

The Summary of the Twentieth Anniversary of the EANET has been prepared based on the data accumulated in the past twenty years of activity of the EANET. It aims at providing a common understanding of the status of acid deposition in East Asia in an easily understandable manner. In addition, it may serve as a guidance document for policymakers, students, civil society, and various organizations that may become EANET partners soon.

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Useful Resources

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Photo credits: All rights reserved to EANET.

The EANET Emission Inventory Workshop in 2021

Posted on by Aurélia Lemoine

19 October 2021 – Bangkok, Thailand

The Asia Center for Air Pollution Research (ACAP), the Network Center (NC) for the EANET, organized the EANET Emission Inventory Workshop on 18 October 2021, gathering over 50 participants from 9 countries, to develop regional air quality management skills.

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Why are emission inventories important?

To tackle atmospheric environment problems, it is essential to understand the status of air pollutants’ emissions and consider mitigation measures’ effectiveness. The emission inventory is an essential tool to obtain such information and to build appropriate atmospheric environmental policies.

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Figure 1 – extract from the Emission Inventory Workshop presentation introduction slides

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Building Capacity at a Regional Level

The objectives of the EANET Emission Inventory Workshop were to understand the role of an emission inventory in air quality management, obtain general information on an emission inventory, and learn basic knowledge on the development and application of an emission inventory.

For this purpose, invited experts provided five lecture presentations on developing and applying an emission inventory. Furthermore, the participants, selected by the National Focal Points (NFPs) of each EANET Participating Country, delivered short presentations about issues related to national emission inventories in their countries.

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Figure 2 – Presentation of the lectures that took place during the Emission Inventory Workshop, (including experts from the Japan Automobile Research Institute (JARI), the National Institute for Environmental Studies, Japan (NIES), and the King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi (KMUTT)).

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Through discussions among lecturers and participants, the event aimed to enhance participants’ knowledge and encourage the development of national emission inventories.

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Ways Forward

In conclusion, participants emphasized the usefulness of such capacity-building activities and noted that it could be interesting, in the future, to focus the workshop’s content on regional specificities.

Participants also highlighted that both technical (such as providing guidelines) and financial aspects are necessary for conducting emission inventory activities. Taking these observations into account, it may be interesting to focus EANET’s future activities on this demand.

Furthermore, the participants pointed out the benefits of sharing emission inventories throughout the EANET region to better understand the atmospheric environment issues and compare methodologies, including emission factors.

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Find out more about technical capacity building by contacting the Network Center.

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Download the Workshop’s outline and key presentations.

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Photo credits: All rights reserved to the EANET.