In November 2015, the inaugural Asia Pacific Clean Air Partnership Joint Forum was organized in response to the 2014 UN Environment Assembly resolution on air quality that called for immediate and coordinated action to address air pollution and its impacts. The meeting was an opportunity to enhance synergies among various air pollution initiatives in the region and promoted science-policy dialogue, especially in support of the UN Environment Assembly and World Health Assembly resolutions on air quality.
In December 2017, the Third Session of the UN Environment Assembly was held in Nairobi, Kenya on the theme ‘towards a pollution-free planet’ that brought high-level government representatives, private sector leaders and civil society to discuss ways to address some of the most pervasive forms of pollution, including air pollution. This led to a new resolution to prevent and reduce air pollution. The resolution also highlighted the importance of regional cooperation to advance action on air pollution.
Building on the momentum of the region’s response to implement the UN Environment Assembly Resolutions on Air Quality and as a follow-up to the 2015 Joint Forum, the 2018 Asia Pacific Clean Air Partnership Joint Forum will:
The Joint Forum is organized as part of a week-long programme from the 19th to 23rd March 2018 under the theme ‘Solutions Landscape for Clean Air’. This forum is a collaborative effort of partners working in the region to improve air quality.
About the Asia Pacific Clean Air Partnership
The Asia Pacific Clean Air Partnership aims to promote better air quality management in Asia Pacific and thereby reduce air pollution and associated health impacts including premature mortality, improve agricultural productivity, and contribute to other co-benefits such as conservation of biodiversity and climate change. The voluntary partnership was launched by UN Environment and partners in 2015 as a response to the call for action on air quality at the First Session of the UN Environment Assembly in 2014 (Resolution 1/7 on Air Quality) and 2017 (Resolution on Preventing and Reducing Air pollution to Improve Air Quality Globally) and to help achieve the relevant Sustainable Development Goals.
Contact Information
For any inquires, please contact Ms. Kaye Patdu or Ms. Suwimol Wattanawiroon at apcap@un.org.
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Programme
08.00 – 09.00 |
Registration |
09.00 – 10.00 |
Welcome Remarks
Inaugural Address
Keynote Address
|
10.00 – 10.30 |
Coffee Break |
10.30 – 12.30 |
Panel Discussion: Practical Solutions for Quick Results and Multiple Benefits The panel discussion will identify readily available and practical solutions, best practices, policies and lessons learned from efforts by different stakeholders on air pollution reduction in the region. The discussion aims to increase understanding of the multiple benefits of reducing air pollution including short-lived climate pollutants for the sustainable development, climate change, and economic growth, and how partnerships have effectively created conditions for cross-sectoral reductions in air pollution. Invited Panelists: Science-based solutions for clean air
Sector-specific solutions
Facilitator: Mr. Rico Hizon, BBC World News |
12.30 – 14.30 |
Lunch | Venue: Reception Hall |
14.30 – 16.00 |
Ministerial Dialogue on Solutions Landscape for Clean Air The Ministers and senior government representatives will discuss innovative policies to promote partnerships, financing, and technology towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and UN Environment Assembly Resolutions on Air Quality. Invited Panelists:
Facilitator: Mr. Rico Hizon, BBC World News |
16.00 – 16.15 |
Coffee Break |
16.15 – 18.00 |
City Leaders’ Panel: Clean Air for Cities During this session, leading cities from the Asia Pacific region will share their initiatives and solutions in improving urban air quality in their cities. They will identify support needed from different stakeholders to accelerate action at the city level. The session will also highlight outcomes from the 9th World Urban Forum, which discussed implementation of the New Urban Agenda, and how clean air solutions can support in achieving the New Urban Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals. Invited Panelists: City leaders on actions taken to improve urban air quality
Experience from African region
Interventions by City Associations
Facilitator: Mr. Rico Hizon, BBC World News |
18.00 |
Welcome Reception |
09.00 – 10.30 |
Panel Discussion: Innovating financing, technology and regulatory frameworks for improving air quality This session will provide a platform to present and discuss technology, regulatory frameworks, and financing instruments needed to drive public and private investment to achieve clean air. Panelists will innovative solutions on utilizing public and private investment, international climate finance, and support from development banks to support projects and investments to improve air quality. Invited Panelists: Financing institutions and public sector
Private sector
Intergovernmental organizations
Facilitator: Mr. Rico Hizon, BBC World News |
10.30 – 10.45 |
Coffee Break |
10.45 – 12.30 |
Empowering consumers and citizens into advocates – mobilizing citizen action This session will introduce the Breathelife campaign and aim to inspire participants on individual and collective actions that they can do to improve air quality. The session will also showcase the interventions undertaken by various groups including existing Breathelife network members, youth and women’s groups, civil society, to reduce air pollution. This will include signing of the Breathelife wall. Keynote remarks Ms. Dia Mirza, UN Environment Goodwill Ambassador for India Introduction to BreatheLife Campaign, Ms. Lesley Onyon, Regional Advisor, Occupational and Environmental Health, WHO Regional Office for SouthEast Asia Remarks by Breathelife Member – Asia | Ms. Ariuntuya Dorjsuren, Director General of Climate Change and International Cooperation Department of the Ministry of Environment and Tourism of Mongolia Invited Panelists: Financing institutions and public sector
Facilitator: Ms. Dia Mirza, UN Environment Goodwill Ambassador for India |
12.30 – 14.00 |
Lunch | Venue: Reception Hall Side Event: Advancing Air Quality Monitoring with Emerging Technologies (by invitation) | Venue: Public Foyer |
14.00 – 16.00 |
Panel Discussion: Action by Regional Networks and Organizations to Improve Air Quality in Asia Pacific This panel discussion seeks to discuss how networks and initiatives can help promote innovative solutions and support upscaling of their implementation. The panelists will share their views and experience to help achieve the UN Environment Assembly Resolution on Air Quality at regional, sub-regional, national, and local levels. They will explore the challenges and opportunities, collective actions and impacts of partnerships and cooperative engagements. Intergovernmental networks
Regional organizations/ networks
Facilitator: Ms. Helena Molin-Valdes, Head of Secretariat, Climate and Clean Air Coalition |
16.00 – 16.15 |
Coffee Break |
16.15 – 17.30 |
Facilitator: Ms. Dechen Tsering, Director and Representative, UN Environment Asia Pacific Office |