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 4th Webinar under topic “What and Why Super Pollutants: Long-term Monitoring in South Asia” is to encourage accurate and extensive discussion in South Asia about the Super Pollutants (Black Carbon and Ozone), which is getting critical concern regionally, as transboundary with many pollution sources and impacts extend across national borders. Countries often face challenges in scientifically explaining the cross-border pollution transport and communicating evidence at the regional level. This topic is important for learning the latest science and improving understanding of the source - receptor relationships. It aims at supplying the right information for decision making, highlighting necessity for strengthening regional cooperation. The 4th Webinar will review the related research starting from Atmospheric Brown Cloud (ABC) project, supported by UNEP over 20 years back, and conducted by pioneer researchers from many countries, and the latest Clean Air Fund (CAF)’s project: Tackling open climate science questions and building consensus on black carbon.

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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