Promoting Effective Regional Action on Air Pollution Cornie Huizenga Executive Director, CAI-Asia Center 14 th. IUAPPA World Congress 9-13 September, Brisbane, Australia Sustainable Urban Mobility in Asia A CAI-Asia Program

How to build support for regional action on air pollution in Asia Who are the stakeholders ? What is the experience with building public support for AQM? What information is important for stakeholders to provide buy in? What methods can be applied to build support?

Public opinion has greatly shaped policies on nuclear power Experience with public pressure to promote AQM and broader environmental objectives Public concern played important role in development and adoption of the Convention on Long Range Transport of Air Pollutants in Europe Public opinion has greatly shaped policies on nuclear power Public interest litigation forced banning of 2 stroke three wheeled motor cycles in Delhi, Dhaka, Katmandu and Lahore 5 Million signatures helped to force the Clean Air Act in the Philippines

Stakeholders Policy makers Research community Media Public Environmental Officials National Legislators Intergovernmental bodies (ASEAN, SAARC) Multilateral bodies (UNEP) Research community Air Quality professionals Academic community Media Public Civil society organizations General public Special interest groups Youth

Origin of the air pollution – what and how much comes from where? Information required Information on effective regional action on AQ in other parts of the world Reliable localized information on air quality, the health and environmental effects of air pollution Origin of the air pollution – what and how much comes from where? Different stakeholders require different types of information, or information formatted in a different manner

Expert led process versus public process Methods Integration of a regional agreement on air quality as part of a broader regional dialogue on air quality Integration of a regional agreement on air quality as a broader political integration process Expert led process versus public process

Better Air Quality (BAQ) Workshops November 2008 Bangkok? BAQ workshops have become the leading event on urban air quality in Asia. BAQ workshops have had great impact on raising the profile of AQM in Asia. Since 2002 about 2,500 decision makers have participated in BAQ workshops. BAQ workshops have helped to shape policy processes. BAQ 2008 possibly to be organized in Bangkok, Thailand CAI-Asia is committed to utilize BAQ to build a critical mass and promote regional action on AQ in Asia www.baq2003.org www.baq2004.org www.baq2006.org