International Experts Gather in Ho Chi Minh City to Improve Air Quality in Southeast Asia

Conference participants during the opening ceremonies

The International Conference on Air Quality Management in Southeast Asia, held on November 21-23 in Ho Chi Minh City, welcomed close to 100 participants from 10 countries in the region.

The three-day event brought together a diverse pool of researchers, experts, policymakers and development organizations to tackle crucial issues related to improving air quality in urban areas across Southeast Asia. It specifically highlighted cases, problems and solutions that are unique to the Southeast Asian experience.

SERD Dean Prof. Sivannapan Kumar delivers the opening address

Leading air quality experts in the region such as Mr. Nguyen Thanh Phuong, Director of the Southeast Vietnam Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); Dr. Hoang Duong Tung, Director of the Center for Environmental Monitoring, Database and Information of the Vietnam EPA; Dr. Supat Wangwongwatana, Director General of the Pollution Control Department in Thailand and Mr. Cornelius Huizenga, Executive Director of the Clean Air Initiative (CAI) Asia, attended the event.

In his keynote speech, Mr. Huizenga said that although air quality in Asia has improved in recent years it is still far above the limits set by the World Health Organization. Thus, there is a need to intensify air pollution abatement strategies by analyzing and linking control measures in the urban, national, regional and hemispheric arena specifically climate change. Control strategies should focus on mobile sources, stationary sources and area sources.

AIT and HCMUT Delegates during the press conference with Vietnamese Media L-R (standing) UEM Professor Dr. Nowarat Coowanitwong (seated) HCMUT Acting Dean Dr. Nguyen Phuoc Dan, UEM Prof. A.T.M. Nurul Amin, CAI-ASIA Executive Director Mr. Cornelius Huizenga, SERD Dean Prof. Sivannapan Kumar and CIDA Representative Mr. Jason LaTorre

Conference participants from Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Philippines, Thailand, among others, discussed six priority themes that are essential to improving air quality within the region. These include 1.) air quality management and modeling; 2.) air quality management and policy issues; 3.) socio-economic considerations in air quality management; 4.) transport planning and energy systems; 5.) risks, impact monitoring and integrated assessment approach to urban air quality and; 6.) gender and social equality concerns in air quality improvement.

Aside from serving as a dynamic platform to exchange ideas and experiences on air quality management, the conference is expected to produce action-oriented results such as the development and adoption of sound policies geared towards the improvement of air quality in the Southeast Asian region.  Conference participants also visited the Can Gio Biosphere Reserve to see how a mangrove wetland has helped regulate air pollution in Ho Chi Minh City and surrounding areas.

Conference  participants during the closing ceremonies

The conference was organized by the Southeast Asia Urban Environmental Management Applications (SEA-UEMA) Project in cooperation with the Faculty of Environment, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology. The SEA-UEMA Project is a collaboration of the Asian Institute of Technology in Thailand and the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). The project aims to improve policies and disseminate good urban environmental management practices in the region.