In 1998, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), together with the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) drew attention to the possibility of the impacts of transboundary air pollution in South Asia. This initiative led to the adoption of the Malé Declaration on Control and Prevention of Air Pollution and Its Likely Transboundary Effects for South Asia (Malé Declaration). The Malé Declaration’s objective is to aid the process of providing a clean environment through clean air. The Declaration calls for regional cooperation to address the increasing threat of transboundary air pollution and its possible impacts. Its implementation has been carried out in phases. The eight member countries of Malé Declaration include Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Iran, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. ... READ MORE
The workshop “Malé Declaration – Ambition to Action” was held on 11–12 June 2025 in Bangkok, Thailand, to revitalize the Malé Declaration and foster renewed regional collaboration to address air pollution challenges across South Asia. The workshop featured key discussions on the Think Piece (Vision Paper), the Strategies and Work Programme for the Next Phase, and the Scoping Study commissioned by SACEP to support the revival of the Malé Declaration.
During the meeting, the representatives of the member countries of the Malé Declaration agreed on the following actions:
1. The Scoping Study, developed using information provided by the member countries, will be circulated by SACEP, Secretariat, to all member countries by 30th September 2025, for sharing their comments by 31st October 2025;
2. The secretariat and AIT RRC.AP (technical partner) will develop activities including sharing information and holding online webinar on air quality management;
3. Workplan will be elaborated including fund-raising for Malé Declaration implementation;
4. The relationship between Malé Declaration and other initiatives in the region, including RAPAP, IGP-HF and initiatives outside the region, such as ASEAN Haze Agreement, EANET, Asian Co-benefit partnership, Northeast Asia Clean-Air Partnership. LRTAP, and others will be strengthened;
5. Increase interaction with key organizations, like ICIMOD, Clean Air Fund, World Bank, CCAC, UNEP, UNESCAP, GIZ, ADB, and others., to establish clear working relationships and communication, to synchronize activities, leverage mutual strengths and support resource mobilization efforts.
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.
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.
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.
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 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 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.
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 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.