SASEC Countries for Regional Air Quality Management

This is first technical assistance designed and implemented in support of the SASEC Environment Working Group. The TA was formulated in response to the concerns and priorities expressed by all parties attending the Special EWG Meeting held in June 2002 and constitutes ADB’s first effort to tackle Air Quality Management (AQM) at a Subregional Level in this area of South Asia. Regional air pollution, especially from emissions of sulfur and nitrogen compounds, is increasingly a problem as industrialization speeds up in the subregion. The impacts of these emissions are felt locally, nationally, and regionally. The TA established a close partnership with the Clean Air Initiative for Asia (CAI-Asia), which also provided a repository for all collected information and its world-wide dissemination through the web. Communication was also established with the United Nations Environment Program and the International Center for Integrated Mountain Development, institutions which are actively involved in the implementation of the Male Convention of Regional Air Quality Management.