The Asia region has witnessed impressive economic growth in the past decades. Along with industrialisation, urbanisation, and motorisation, as well as a rapidly growing population, the rapid pace of development has led to higher energy demand and the generation of large quantities of waste, as well as increased emissions of air pollutants into the atmosphere. As a consequence, the air quality in a large number of major cities is deteriorating at alarming rates, and the transport of air pollutants across the region is exposing the whole region to this risk.
There are many initiatives in the Asia-Pacific region to address atmospheric environment issues particularly, air pollution and atmospheric issues. It is best to address these issues through a collaborative effort, and an integrated manner which is to develop policies that are based on scientific knowledge and evidence. Also, co-benefits approach in addressing air pollution and climate change needs to be explored.
Acid Deposition Monitoring Network in East Asia
EANET started in 1998 as an intergovernmental initiative to create a common understanding on the state of acid deposition problems in East Asia, provide useful inputs for decision making at various levels with the aim of preventing or reducing the adverse impacts on the environment, and promote cooperation among countries. Thirteen cou... Read more
Malé Declaration
Works under the 1998 “Malé Declaration on Control and Prevention of Air Pollution and its Likely Transboundary Effects for South Asia” (Malé Declaration) provide an operational platform for gathering and disseminating reliable information on regional air pollution as a basis for envisaged policy development. Coordination of the programm... Read more
Atmospheric Brown Cloud
Atmospheric brown clouds (ABCs) are widespread layers of brownish haze of air pollutants, such as aerosol particles (black carbon (BC) and non BC), and precursor gases (e.g. CH4, CO, NMVOCs, NOx), which produce aerosols and ozone. ABCs and their interaction with build-up of greenhouse gases significantly affect the regional climate
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