A Training Workshop on Air Quality Management in Bhutan was conducted as part of the Malé Declaration Scoping Study. The workshop provides a platform for Bhutanese officials to learn about the latest air quality management techniques and fill knowledge gaps identified in a recent study.
An On-site Training Workshop on Air Quality Management in Sri Lanka has kicked start in Colombo. This workshop is a key component of the ongoing Malé Declaration Scoping Study and has gathered representatives from the Malé Declaration's focal point.
A 1-day Training Workshop on Air Quality Management was successfully conducted at, Malé, Maldives, as part of Malé Declaration Scoping Study. Participants actively exchanged interests and identified capacity-building as the key activities for the next phases of the Malé Declaration.
Dr. Vanisa Surapipith, Head of Air Pollution Cluster at AIT RRC.AP has been invited as a Distinguished Speaker at the Integrated Land Ecosystem - Atmosphere Processes Study (iLEAPS) Global Colloquium Series 2025. Her talk was the 6th of 2025 series with topic “Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution and Intergovernmental Agreements to Bring about Solutions in South & Southeast Asia”.
The regional workshop “Malé Declaration - Ambition to Action” was successfully held from 11 to 12 June 2025 in Bangkok, Thailand (and hybrid for a few delegates). The workshop marked a significant step toward revitalizing the Malé Declaration on Control and Prevention of Air Pollution and its likely Transboundary Effects (Malé Declaration), fostering renewed regional collaboration to tackle air pollution challenges across South Asia.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Regional Resource Centre for Asia and the Pacific at the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT RRC.AP) and Incheon National University (INU) to strengthen institutional collaboration in key areas such as environmental engineering and management, climate change studies, and pollution control and prevention. This partnership aims to promote knowledge exchange, capacity development, joint research initiatives, co-publication of findings, and sharing of technical expertise and resources. The MoU will remain in effect for a period of five (5) years from the date of signing.
The UNDP with technical support from Incheon National University (INU) organized Clean Air for Blue Sky Asia (CABSA) workshop and working session from 25 – 26 March 2025. The event brought together technology provider (INU), end users (academia and government officials from participating countries such as Cambodia, Lao PDR, Mongolia, Thailand, Vietnam).
The Fifth Asia Pacific Clean Air Partnership (APCAP) Joint Forum was held in Yokohama, Japan, on 20-21 March 2025. About 200 air quality stakeholders joined the discussions on how to increase investment for clean air. The 5th edition of the Joint Forum was hosted by the Ministry of Environment, Japan (MoEJ) and co-organized by UNEP and UNESCAP.
The Measurable Action for Haze-Free Sustainable Land Management (MAHFSA) Programme’s Closing and Policy Dialogue on Towards A Haze-Free Southeast Asia: Forging Climate Resilience and Sustainability was held on 18 March 2025 at Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20, Thailand, in a hybrid mode.
AIT RRC.AP participated in the Hybrid Bioeconomy Dialogue on Bangkok’s Pollution on 10 March 2025. Dr. Vanisa Surapipith, AIT RRC.AP’s Head of Air Pollution Cluster, provided her insight on Air Pollution and Agriculture in Bangkok Metropolitan Region by addressing the source contribution of PM2.5 in Bangkok and the completed project activities on the development of a forecasting system for reducing PM2.5 from open burning activities at the local administrative level in Thailand.
Thailand Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency (GISTDA) invited the AIT RRC.AP to join the ASIA-AQ Science Team meeting with the objective to share the findings and views among the task-force committee established by GISTDA for the development of Thailand Synthesis Report for the ASIA-AQ International project, which is hosted by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) focusing on synchronizing the observation data from satellites and 2 aircrafts flying to conduct the transboundary air pollution research over South Korea, the Philippines, Taiwan and Thailand during January – March 2024.
The 26th Intergovernmental Meeting (IG26) of the Acid Deposition Monitoring Network in East Asia (EANET) convened in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on November 27-28, 2024. This hybrid meeting allowed for both in-person and online participation.
AIT RRC.AP played an active role in the "Understanding Air Pollution and its Sources, Weather, Climate, and Topography in Malaysia: EANET National Stakeholder Awareness Workshop in Malaysia." This workshop was a collaborative effort between the Secretariat for the Acid Deposition Monitoring Network in East Asia (EANET) and Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), with the support of the Malaysian Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability. Held at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Bangi, Kuala Lumpur, on November 26, 2024, the workshop adhered to the EANET Work Programme and Budget 2024, as well as the EANET Rules of Procedure.
The Secretariat for the Acid Deposition Monitoring Network in East Asia (EANET), in partnership with the Asian Institute of Technology – Regional Resource Centre for Asian and the Pacific (AIT RRC.AP), organised the project meeting on “Emissions Inventories and Source Apportionment of Air Pollution in Southeast Asia" on 29 May 2024 at UNCC, Bangkok, Thailand (hybrid mode).
AIT RRC.AP in partnership with EANET organised the meeting "Stocktaking and Methodological Assessment of Emissions Inventories and Source Apportionment of Air Pollution in Southeast Asia." The objective of the meeting was to better understand the emissions inventories and source apportionment situation in the countries of Southeast Asia.
AIT RRC.AP participated at the 14th Advisory Group Meeting of the Asian Co-benefits Partnership (ACP) and provided an overview of RRC.AP's work across its three clusters: Air Pollution, Climate Change, and Waste and Resources Management.
The AIT-team collaborated with FHI 360 to host the 3rd Meeting of the "Consortium for Air Quality Researchers of Nepal (CARN)" in Lalitpur, Nepal. This gathering aimed to foster better coordination and collaboration among the nation's air quality and atmospheric researchers. By facilitating timely exchange of science-based information, CARN ultimately hopes to influence policy-making and drive effective improvements in air quality across the country.
A 2-day training workshop on "Air Quality Management with a focus on Air Quality Modeling" was held Nepal. The intensive workshop aimed to equip participants with the technical skills and knowledge necessary for air quality modeling and its application in managing Kathmandu Valley's air quality.
A one-day workshop titled "Air Quality Management with a focus on Air Quality Modeling" was held in Nepal. The workshop brought together 36 participants involved in the air quality management sector. The key outcomes of the workshop included sharing ongoing research, building collaboration, modeling practices, and future research partnerships.
The 3rd International Forum on Transboundary Air Pollution (IFTAP) was held on 8 September 2023 in Seoul, Republic of Korea, in commemoration of the 3rd International Day of Clean Air for blue skies. Dr. Ram Lal Verma represented the AIT RRC.AP and served as one of the resource speakers in the forum’s session 1: Addressing Air Pollution in Northeast Asia: Where we are and the Way Forward. The title of his topic is “Air Quality Trends and Policy Measures in Northeast Asia”.
AIT RRC.AP contributed as a panelist in the plenary session on the “Regional Cooperation to Air Quality" and shared Malé Declaration's brief history, achievements, progress, and future plan which was well received by the participants during the UNEP-Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC)'s clean air week at the UNCC, Bangkok, from 29 May 2023 to 1 June 2023. The CCAC brings together 79 state partners representing 50% of global short-live climate pollutants (SLCP) emissions alongside intergovernmental organisations, businesses, scientific institutions, and civil-society organisations committed to protecting the climate and improving air quality through actions to reduce SLCPs.
The Twenty-fourth Session of the Intergovernmental Meeting (IG24) of the Acid Deposition Monitoring Network in East Asia (EANET) was organised during 24-25 November 2022 (hybrid mode) in Manila, Philippines, to make important decisions on the implementation of its expansion of scope and newly established Project Fund, and other relevant matters.
The Twenty-second Session of the Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC22) of the Acid Deposition Monitoring Network in East Asia (EANET) was organised virtually from 18-20 October 2022. The meeting discussed acid deposition monitoring activities of the EANET in 2021 including project proposals submitted by NC and Participating Countries.
The Regional Resource Centre for Asia and the Pacific (RRC.AP), with support from APN’s CAPaBLE programme, organized the second regional training on "Capacity Development Programme on Air Quality Management and Emission Reduction of PM₂.₅" from 19–23 September 2022 at the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), Thailand. The training brought together 55 participants from ASEAN and South Asian countries under the ASEAN Haze Agreement and the Malé Declaration. The five-day programme covered key areas including air quality monitoring, emission inventory, modeling, impact assessment, and policy measures. It featured 11 sessions, hands-on training, and field visits to air quality monitoring labs. Click here for more details.
The Working Group Meeting of Acid Deposition Monitoring Network in East Asia (EANET) in 2022 (WG2022) was convened virtually from 24 to 25 August 2022. About 70 representatives from the EANET participating countries, namely, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Japan, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Russia, Thailand and Vietnam, as well as the Secretariat and Network Center for the EANET, gathered online to discuss and review the proposed projects submitted to the EANET Project Fund and other matters related to the expansion of the scope of the EANET.
RRC.AP supported the EANET Secretariat in organising an awareness workshop on the “State of Acid Deposition in East Asia – From Data to Policy” on 20 June 2022 on an Online Platform. The objectives of the workshop were to increase public understanding on acid deposition issues, to share EANET achievements in the last 20 years, and to explore further generate collaboration ideas for future EANET Projects based on the PRSAD4 (4th Periodic Report on the State of Acid Deposition in East Asia) findings and recommendations. Altogether 79 participants, including 38 women, from 17 countries including 13 EANET participating countries participated in the workshop.
The Sixteenth Session of the Intergovernmental Meeting of the Malé Declaration on Control and Prevention of Air Pollution and its Likely Transboundary Effect for South Asia (MD/IG16) was organized virtually on 12 January 2022.
The EANET 20th Anniversary celebration and the EANET Science and Policy Dialogue were organised back-to-back on 26 November 2021. The virtual event gathered over one hundred participants from 30 countries to discuss better air quality for all. The EANET’s 20th Anniversary celebration was organised to commemorate the significant milestones of the Acid Deposition Monitoring Network in East Asia (EANET) in its twenty years of successful inter-regional cooperation and implementation of activities.
The Twenty-third Session of the Intergovernmental Meeting on the Acid Deposition Monitoring Network in East Asia (IG23) was convened virtually from 24 to 25 November 2021 to make important decisions on the expansion of the scope of the EANET, among other topics. The event gathered over 70 representatives of the EANET participating countries, namely, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Japan, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Russia, Thailand and Vietnam, the Secretariat, and Network Center for the EANET.
The Twenty-first Session of the Scientific Advisory Committee of the Acid Deposition Monitoring Network in East Asia (SAC21) was organised virtually from 26-28 October 2021, to discuss scientific and technical matters related to the EANET activities.
The Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research (APN), through its Capacity Development Programme (CAPaBLE), provided support to the Regional Resource Centre for Asia and the Pacific (RRC.AP) of the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) to implement the Capacity Development Programme on Air Quality Management and Emission Reduction of PM₂.₅ for ASEAN Countries. This two-year project, which commenced in January 2021, aims to strengthen the technical and institutional capacity of ASEAN member countries in addressing air pollution, particularly fine particulate matter (PM₂.₅), and its impact on human health. As part of this initiative, RRC.AP conducted two capacity-building workshops, each spanning one week. The first workshop was held online from 13–17 September 2021 (Online) and was attended by policymakers and technical staff from air pollution control agencies across the ASEAN region.
A virtual training workshop on the “Capacity Development Programme on Air Quality Management and Emission Reduction of PM2.5 for Asian Countries” was organised on 13-17 September 2021 by the Regional Resource Centre for Asia and the Pacific (RRC.AP).
The EANET Awareness Workshop in 2021 was organized virtually on 6 September 2021, in partnership with the Republic of Korea. The event gathered over 200 participants from 16 countries and focused its discussion on international cooperation on acid deposition and air pollution. The workshop was aimed at increasing public understanding of regional acid deposition issues while reflecting on the work achieved by the EANET in the last 20 years.
The Working Group Meeting in 2021 Session 2 for the EANET (WG2021-2) was convened virtually from 18-20 August 2021. Over 70 participants representing the EANET member countries, namely, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Japan, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Russia, Thailand and Vietnam, the Secretariat and Network Center for the EANET, gathered- together to discuss the process of the expansion of the scope of the EANET, among other important topics.
The Malé Declaration on Control and Prevention of Air Pollution and Its Likely Transboundary Effects for South Asia (Malé Declaration) organized the Working Group Meeting on Drafting Strategy and Work Programme for Phase-VII (2021-2025) of the Malé Declaration (MD WG2021) on 8 April 2021 virtually. Nearly 30 participants representing the National Focal Points (NFPs) and the National Implementing Agencies (NIAs) of the eight member countries of the Malé Declaration, namely, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Iran, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, attended the Session.
RRC.AP is a member of the Asian Co-benefits Partnerships (ACP), coordinated by IGES. On 19 January 2021, Dr. R. L. Verma participated virtually in the 11th Advisory Committee Meeting of the ACP. The meeting discussed the concept note of the 2nd Phase of the ACP. During the discussion, Dr. Verma has introduced ongoing projects and initiatives with relevance to the Cobenefit Approaches.