BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//CERN//INDICO//EN BEGIN:VEVENT SUMMARY:High-level Forum on Digital Technology and Data for Clean Air: Bac k-to-back with International Conference for Responding Transboundary Air P ollution DTSTART:20260908T000000Z DTEND:20260909T063000Z DTSTAMP:20260726T093900Z UID:indico-event-1024912@indico.un.org CONTACT:escap-ids@un.org\;gaston.melofelgueres@un.org\;mengqi.you@un.org\; (66-2) 288-1234 DESCRIPTION:Background\nAmid rapid technological progress\, the Asia-Pacif ic region is harnessing digital innovation to tackle some of its most urge nt environmental and public health challenges. Despite increasing ground-b ased monitoring stations and geospatial data capacity\, air quality manage ment remains important development agenda\, in particular\, in the rapid e conomic growth and demographic transitions toward ageing societies.The CAS A project has pioneered a paradigm shift to intelligent\, technology-drive n solutions\, leveraging AI-powered pollution forecasting\, satellite data analytics including global platforms like Google Earth Engine and Sentine l Hub\, real-time monitoring infrastructure through Air Quality Monitoring Stations (AQMS) connected to cloud-based dashboards\, cutting-edge data v isualization techniques\, and early warning systems like the Haze Gazer de veloped by UN Global Pulse Lab Jakarta that protect vulnerable populations during pollution events.To achieve the goal to address air pollutions by leveraging digital technologies and data\, the project\, in collaboration with regional partners\, organized four capacity-building workshops in Man ila\, Philippines (July 2024)\, Vientiane\, Lao PDR (April 2025)\, Bali\, Indonesia (November 2025)\, and Cebu\, Philippines (May 2026). These event s have provided opportunities to enhance technical knowledge and capacity\ , targeting government officials\, environmental specialists\, and data sc ientists from across ASEAN member States through policy dialogues and hand s-on training for the application of these technologies. The workshops dem onstrated a clear progression from introducing digital technology fundamen tals to providing advanced training in AI pollution source identification\ , satellite imagery analysis\, building prediction models\, and creating r eal-time dashboards with sample data from participants' own countries.In a ddition\, the project organized the "first High-level Forum on Emerging Te chnology for Tackling Air Pollution and Climate Change"\, on 3 September 2 024\, Astana\, Kazakhstan during the Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference o n Digital Inclusion and Transformation (APMCDIT)\, inviting senior delegat ions of the ESCAP member States and representatives. It enhanced the visib ility of the ASEAN Secretariat\, the ASEAN-Korean Cooperation Fund and the Government of the Republic of Korea. Senior officials from ASEAN Member S tates including Cambodia\, the Philippines\, and Thailand\, delivered the keynote speeches and secured the high level commitment in regional coopera tion to address air pollution challenges.Against this background\, the Uni ted Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP )\, with support from the ASEAN Secretariat\, the ASEAN-Korea Cooperation Fund (AKCF)\, Seoul National University and partner organizations plans to convene the "Second High-level Forum Digital Technology and Data for Clea n Air" on 8-9 September 2026 in Seoul\, Republic of Korea\, back-to-back w ith the "International Conference for Responding Transboundary Air Polluti on and the High-level Forum on Digital Technology for Clean Air"\, in conj unction with the "7th anniversary of the International Day of Clean Air fo r Blue Skies" on 8 September 2026.The High-level Forum also supports the i mplementation of the "Baku-Bangkok Declaration on Strengthening Regional C ooperation for Social Development in Asia and the Pacific" adopted on 24 A pril 2026 at the 82nd session of the ESCAP Commission with the theme: "Lea ving no one behind: advancing a society for all ages in Asia and the Pacif ic."The International Conference for Responding Transboundary Air Pollutio n will focuses on economic\, technological and policy responses to transbo undary air pollution and short-lived climate pollutants\, which is co-orga nized with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea (ROK M OFA)\, and the UNEP Climate & Clean Air Coalition (CCAC)\, as a platform t o promote dialogues among governments\, international organizations and th e private sector.\n \n---------------------------\nContact Persons: \n\nGaston Maria Melo Felgueres (Mr.)\nAssociate Expert\nICT and Dev elopment Section (IDS)\nICT and Disaster Risk Reduction Division (IDD) \n E-mail: escap-ids@un.org with cc to gaston.melofelgueres@un.org \n \nTae Hyung Kim (Mr.)\nChief\nICT and Development Section (IDS)\nICT and Disast er Risk Reduction Division (IDD) \nE-mail: escap-ids@un.org with cc to ki mt@un.org\n \nUnited Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific\n\nhttps://indico.un.org/event/1024912/ URL:https://indico.un.org/event/1024912/ END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR