Background
The Malé Declaration on Control and Prevention of Air Pollution and its Likely Transboundary Effects for South Asia (Malé Declaration) was adopted at the 7th Governing Council of the South Asia Co-operative Environment Programme (SACEP), held in Malé in April 1998, following a round-table policy dialogue organized by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) in March 1998 at the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), Bangkok. Representatives from the Ministries of Environment of South Asian countries participated in the meeting and agreed to initiate an intergovernmental network involving Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Iran, the Republic of Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. The Declaration emphasizes the need for countries to carry forward studies and programmes on air pollution at the national level.
To support the revitalization and effective implementation of the Malé Declaration, a monthly regional webinar series is proposed to promote peer learning and enhance scientific and policy dialogue on air quality and transboundary air pollution, in line with the resolutions of the Malé Declaration “Ambition to Action” meeting held in Bangkok in June 2025. The overall aim of the webinar series is to present progress on air quality management in South Asia at all levels and to reach out to young learners and practitioners who may not be able to travel to engage with resource persons. The knowledge gained will support them in formulating solutions to improve air quality in their communities and contribute to the implementation of high-level policies on the ground.
Objective
The specific objective of the 3rd Webinar under topic “Long-range Transport of Air Pollution and How to Build the Capacity on Air Quality Modelling and Forecasting” is for enhancing the discussion about air quality modelling, which is an important tool for linking emission sources with ambient pollution levels, and assessing transboundary transport and policy scenarios. Technical capacity to apply and interpret modelling results varies across countries. This topic is important for building a shared understanding of model applications where advanced modelling capacity is limited. The 3rd Webinar will review the latest research and efforts in progress in South Asia. The program ensures learning from experiences of the speakers who have been working hard in the field, and bringing in the possibility to set the vision on how to understand the cross-border air pollution in Malé Declaration region using various mathematical models and dataset.
Target Audience
The webinar is intended for government officials, technical experts, researchers, practitioners, students, and young professionals interested in air quality management, environmental policy, climate change, and transboundary air pollution. It also aims to reach young learners and practitioners who may have limited opportunities to travel and engage directly with expert resource persons. While the focus is on South Asia, anyone interested in the topic is welcome to join.
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