“Online Meeting on Building the Pan-Asia Partnership for Geospatial Air Pollution Information (PAPGAPI) and Geostationary Environment Monitoring Spectrometer (GEMS) Program in the Asia Pacific Region”
According to 2021 World Air Quality Report1, Asia-Pacific region records extreme levels of air pollution and has several highly polluted cities. The region is beginning to see the adverse effects of air pollution resulting from use of unclean energy, industrial pollution, vehicles and transport, biomass and waste burning along with a number of other sources. A recent report: “Air Pollution in Asia and the Pacific: Science-based solutions, 2019”2 indicates that nearly 2.3 billion people in the region are exposed to extreme levels of air pollution exceeding the WHO limits. The most damaging air pollutants are fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5) and ground-level Ozone (O3). In 2015, the majority of global deaths from ambient (outdoor) air pollution occurred in Asia with nearly 35 per sent in East Asia and the Pacific, and approximately 33 deaths recorded in South Asia3.
The PAPGAPI program was implemented in 2020, in cooperation with the Korean National Institute of Environmental Research (NIER) and other partners, with the purpose of validating satellite data from the Geostationary Environment Monitoring Spectrometer (GEMS), through the installation of surface-based spectrometers (Pandora instruments) and undertaking a series of capacity building programs to utilize these data for air pollution monitoring. The program aims to enhance the capacity of participating member States to access and utilize space derived data and applications for air pollution monitoring and management. In addition, the program aims to stimulate subregional dialogue on air pollution issues.
ESCAP is currently undertaking analytical and capacity development activities to strengthen cooperation on air pollution, with particular effort to enable evidence–based
decision making at the city level to reduce urban air pollution. Using data-science-based evidence, ESCAP aims to enable policymakers to make planning decisions that effectively tackle air pollution for resilient and sustainable urbanization and economic development. To effectively achieve these goals, reliable data and science-based understanding is vital.