Air Quality and Climate Change Program

[1]

People in seven out of ten cities in developing Asian countries breathe air that is dangerous to their health and less than one percent of cities have truly clean air. Urban air pollution kills people in Asia each year according to the World Health Organization. Several air pollutants also contribute to climate change, including black carbon (a component of particulate matter or soot), methane and tropospheric ozone. However, governments are still struggling to address air pollution once and for all.

Projects and Activities:

• Air Pollution, Poverty and Health Effects (APPH) [2]
• Air Quality Interventions for Asian Cities [3]
• Air Quality Management in South China and the Pearl River Delta [4]
• Blue Skies at Shanghai Expo 2010 and Beyond [5]
• Cebu Bus Rapid Transit Air Quality and Health Benefits Study [6]
• China City AQM Workshops [7]
• City Baseline Survey for Climate Change Adaptation/Mitigation in Asia-Pacific [8]
• Clean Air and Blue Skies Exchange Program [9]
• Clean Air for Smaller Cities in the ASEAN Region (Phase 1) [10] (Phase 2) [11]
• Co-benefits Training to Chinese NGOs [12]
• Communicating Air Quality during Delhi Commonwealth Games 2010 [13]
• Developing an Urban Air Quality Management Program in Jakarta [14]
• Developing a Well-Being Index for Asian Cities [15]
• Dissemination and Training Workshops for “Urban Air Pollution & Co-benefits Analysis in Six Indian Cities” [16]
• Integrated Persistent Organic Pollutants (IPOPs) Management Project [17]
• GHG and Air Pollutant Indicators for Transport and Energy Sectors in Asia [18]
• Governmental Meetings on Urban Air Quality in Asia [19]
• Impacts of Climate Change and Air Pollution in the GMS [20]
• Integrated Greenhouse Gas and Air Pollution Emissions Accounting for Companies [21]
• KnowledgeAir: Capturing and Transferring Air Quality Management Knowledge in Asia [22]
• Making Co-benefits Work for Chinese Cities [23]
• Modeling Particulate Matter Dispersion in Metro Manila [24]
• Public Health and Air Pollution in Asia (PAPA) [25]
• Role of Health Insurers in Financing Transport Emissions Reductions in Asian Cities [26]
• The Foundation of Clean Air Knowledge Management and Capacity Building System for Chinese Cities [27]
• Yangtze River Delta Clean Air Forum [28]

Our Air Quality and Climate Change Program consist of three components:

1. Road Map for Better Air Quality in Asian Cities. A Road Map will be prepared together with key environmental and health expert organizations and development agencies and endorsed by Asia’s environment ministries through the Governmental Meetings on Urban Air Quality in Asia organized together with UNEP.
2. Regional system for knowledge management and capacity building on air quality and GHG management. A regional system will be established in partnership with universities, research institutes, NGOs and others to support Asian governments and cities in managing air pollution and GHG emissions. Knowledge management and capacity building mechanisms will be designed to meet the needs of ministries and cities, and matched with the expertise of different partners. The aim is to move beyond isolated training courses, workshops and other events, and make better use of other mechanisms, such as city visits, city-twinning and city networks, webinars, study tours and exchange programs.
3. Support cities on air pollution and GHG management. CAI-Asia assesses cities’ strengths, weaknesses and needs using the Clean Air Scorecard, which also provides the basis for developing a Clean Air Report and Clean Air Action Plan, and implementing policies and measures. Our partners provide expertise and help build the capacity of local organizations that can take the lead in the future. Existing or new city networks are instrumental in city-to-city exchange and scaling up best practices.

Goals 2016 for Asia

• Asian countries adopt National Ambient Air Quality Standards for PM10 and PM2.5 in line with WHO interim target 1 for daily and annual levels.
• Asian cities of more than 1 million people have air quality monitoring systems covering at least PM10, PM2.5, NO2 and SO2 and report data publicly every day.
• Asian cities of more than 1 million people have Clean Air Plans with progress reported in annual reports.

Contact Person:

May Ajero, may.ajero(at)cleanairasia.org
Yan Peng, yan.peng(at)cleanairasia.org

Program Partners:

Asian Development Bank
Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), Government of India
China State Environment Protection Administration (SEPA)
Civic Exchange
Clean Air Sri Lanka
Clean Air Network-Nepal
Health Effects Institute
Hewlett Foundation
Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Hong Kong University
Komite Penghapusan Bensin Bertimbel
Ministry of Environmental Protection of China
Shanghai Environmental Protection Bureau (SEPB)
Shanghai Environmental Monitoring Center (SEMC)
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
Vietnam Clean Air Partnership
World Bank

Donors:

Agence Francaise de Developpement (AFD)
Asian Development Bank
Cities Development Initiative for Asia (CDIA)
China Civil Climate Action Network (CCAN)
China Sustainable Energy Program (Energy Foundation)
DEKRA AGADB
Embassy of Sweden
Energy Foundation
Fredskorpset Norway
Fu Tak Iam Foundation
GIZ
Health Effects Institute
Heinrich Boehl Foundation
Murdoch University
Philippine Business for Environment
Rockefeller Brothers Fund
Sida
William and Flora Hewlett Foundation
World Bank

Private Sector Partners:

Maynilad
Petron
Pilipinas Shell
San Miguel Corporation