AIT RRC.AP participates in UN ESCAP Panel on Aligning Regional Action with National Needs during the Clean Air Week 2025
24 – 28 November 2025
Bangkok, Thailand
Dr. Vanisa Surapipith, Head of the Air Pollution Cluster at the Regional Resource Centre for Asia and the Pacific (RRC.AP), Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), participated in the panel discussion on “Aligning Regional and Multistakeholder Actions with National Needs”, held under the session “Connecting National Needs with Regional Action for Clean Air in Asia and the Pacific”. The session was organized by UN ESCAP and UNEP on 25 November 2025, as part of Clean Air Week 2025 held from 24-28 November 2025, in Bangkok, Thailand.
Dr. Vanisa shared recent progress on the Scoping Study that AIT RRC.AP was commissioned by South Asia Co-operative Environment Programme (SACEP), together with Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) York, supported by Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC), following the regional workshop “Malé Declaration: From Ambition to Action”, held in June 2025, as a step to revitalize the Malé Declaration activities. She highlighted key findings from the Scoping Study, such as:
- The current status of monitoring networks across South Asian member countries;
- Existing air quality (AQ) forecast capacity of India, while AQ data dashboard is available for Nepal and other Indo-Gangetic Plain-Himalayan Foothill (IGP-HF), developed by ICIMOD;
- Existing data to be communicated to policymakers in South Asia, regarding the transboundary air pollution in South Asia, the Climate Observatory in Hanimaadhoo, Maldives, will celebrate 20th Anniversary next year. AIT has supported the operation by the Clean Air Fund through Stockholm University.
She emphasized that South Asia has strong potential to achieve measurable improvements in air quality, public health, and environmental sustainability through enhanced regional cooperation and aligned actions. During the week, AIT RRC.AP, represented through Malé Declaration along with the three Malé Declaration participating countries. While ICIMOD supported Director General of SACEP, who joined as a panelist in the morning sessions, and enhanced discussion on collaborations across South Asia.
