©EANET Secretariat
AFFIRM attends regional workshop to discuss future of air quality management in Asia
May, 2024
FAO’s AFFIRM project participated in an air quality management workshop held in Bangkok, Thailand, last month, which represented a significant opportunity to scale-up the project’s profile in the region. The event aimed to enhance international cooperation on air pollution in Asia and drew 212 participants from 32 countries, including representatives from academia, government, youth groups, NGOs, the private sector, and UN agencies.
Brett Shields, Chief Technical Advisor to the AFFIRM Project, which is funded by the Korean Forest Service (KFS) and implemented by FAO, participated in a panel discussion on transboundary haze. He was joined by experts from the Thailand Environmental Institute, the World Meteorological Organization, and the governments of Lao PDR and Japan. Shields identified agriculture and forest burning as significant contributors and emphasized that human aspirations for the next generation and land use changes are some of the underlying drivers. He advocated for careful consideration before adopting solutions from other regions without first appreciating the local context and stressed the importance of updating our perceptions based on robust assessments.
All the panelists emphasized the need for ASEAN collaboration and stakeholder engagement beyond traditional forestry sectors to address broader land management practices, agreeing that developing a holistic approach is essential for combating transboundary haze pollution.
A chance to boost inter-agency collaboration
Taking place from 27–28 May, the workshop was co-organized by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), and the Secretariat for the Acid Deposition Monitoring Network in East Asia (EANET). Maria Cristina Zucca, Head of the Pollution and Health Unit at UNEP, opened the workshop by emphasizing the serious health risks associated with air pollution and calling for strong action and international collaboration. Sangmin Nam, Director of the Environment and Development Division at ESCAP, echoed these concerns, highlighting the public health impact of air pollution in the Asia-Pacific region and underscoring the need for regional technical cooperation. Le Ngoc Cau, Chair of the Twenty-fifth Intergovernmental EANET Meeting, stressed the importance of EANET and advocated for sustained regional cooperation to improve air quality management and monitor additional pollutants.
The workshop was a significant opportunity to underscore the pressing need for regional cooperation and innovative strategies to tackle air pollution, as well as to raise AFFIRM’s profile in the region as it gears up to begin work in pilot countries. Looking ahead, AFFIRM will hold a regional workshop in South Korea from 12–16 August, bringing together agencies from Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand and Viet Nam to discuss various aspects of fire management and pathways forward, alongside KFS.