Knowledge Sharing and Replication workshop: Urban Insights and Regional Cooperation to Reduce Air Pollution

Background

As a result of rapid urbanization, the Asia-Pacific region has become majority urban.is rapidly urbanising. The exponential urban expansion has increased infrastructure development and energy consumption, driving high demands for fossil fuel in the transport sector and improper waste management, all of which unavoidably have contribute to increased air pollution. As a result, air pollution is a significant public health hazard for many cities in the region, leading to a rise in premature deaths, threatening livelihoods and overall progress on sustainable development. Air pollution is both emitted by cities locally, and transported into cities from long-distances sources. Furthermore, ESCAP research has shown that air pollution results in damages that disproportionately impact low-income and marginalised communities, further intensifying inequalities.

In response to these challenges, cities must be key partners with national governments to address air pollution. Ambitious targets can be met if local action is accelerated through evidence-based action plans and improved vertical and horizontal collaboration.

Project Summary: Lessons Learned and Replication

Through the project on ‘Strengthening Regional Cooperation to Tackle Air Pollution Challenges in Asia and the Pacific’ cities have sought to fight air pollution by identifying ways to apply science-based clean air measures at the city to identify sources of pollution and provide insight into needed areas of regional cooperation.

The overall project objectives are to:

• Increase knowledge base of air pollution in the region
• Build capacity to mitigate air pollution at the city level
• Enhance policies to mitigate air pollution at the city level

Throughout this project, tools and methodologies have been developed and tested. These processes use innovative data, machine learning and forecasting to identify the primary sources of air pollution. The project has also provided a draft methodology to link these data sources with local action to develop city-level, science-based, air-pollution mitigation policy action plans which take action locally and facilitate regional approaches. To disseminate these results and lessons learned, this regional knowledge exchange workshop will validate the methodology, share the plans, and to enhance regional cooperation in tackling air pollution.

Purpose and Objectives

This regional knowledge sharing and replication workshop is focused on working with member States and/or cities on ways and means to adapt and apply the methodology for city level action plans as already used in the pilot cities, and to prepare the way forward including identifying priorities for a city-to-city knowledge exchange programme in the region. The workshop will engage representatives of member States (central/local), UN agencies to further disseminate findings. This workshop will also encourage the governments, UN and intergovernmental agencies to nominate qualified women officials as their representatives.

Outcomes

The expected outcomes of this event include:

• Enhanced knowledge of how to mitigate air pollution within cities
• Increased capacity to act to determine policies and activities to combat air pollution
• Better understanding of the City's role in national/regional advocacy efforts
• Improved understanding of air pollution sources, pathways and possible hotspots both within and outside the City.

Stakeholders and Participants

The action planning workshop aims to bring together key local, provincial and national stakeholders to identify enhanced roles for cities to contribute to regional cooperation efforts combatting air pollution.

Interpretation

The workshop content will feature live interpretation in Viet Namese, Bahasa, and Thai.