Geospatial information for sustainable food systems

Spatio-temporal dynamics of air pollution and the delineation of hotspots in Lao People’s Democratic Republic

Year published: 02/02/2022

Southeast Asia faces a heavy burden in terms of air pollution and haze (Association of Southeast Asian Nations, 2021). Out of the seven million deaths worldwide attributed to household and ambient pollution in 2016, two million occurred in Southeast Asia (WHO, 2018). Crop residue burning, slash and burn practices, and waste burning, among other sources, contribute to emissions in the agricultural sector. In Lao PDR, as in other countries in Southeast Asia, the dynamics and the contribution of air pollution from the agricultural sector are not well known. With a focus on the mitigation and adaption to climate change, Lao PDR has joined numerous conventions and policies, including the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, the Paris Agreement, the National Green Growth Strategy, the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) framework, and the Advancing the Clean Air, Health and Climate Integration Agenda in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Region project. However, there is still a lack of comprehensive and routine monitoring of air pollution and its sources in the country. Strengthening technical capacities to monitor air pollution through innovative and integrated approaches has the potential to guide actions towards sustainable development and improve environmental and life conditions.