Clean Air Initiative for Asian Cities 2010 Annual Report

The 2010 annual report captures a pivotal year for the Clean Air Initiative for Asian Cities (CAI-Asia). In November 2010, the Partnership approved a new mission that broadens its focus from “air quality” to “air quality and climate change,” with a vision of making Asian cities more livable. The message from the Executive Director highlights this shift and previews stronger links to urban development, expanded emissions measurement tools, walkability work, and enriched city data via CitiesACT. The year’s headline event was the 6th Better Air Quality (BAQ) conference in Singapore, which underscored that only coordinated multi-stakeholder action can meet the region’s twin air and climate challenges.

The report lays out CAI-Asia’s mission and strategy: translate knowledge into policies and actions that reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from transport, energy and other sectors, achieved through partnerships that connect local agencies, mayors, national ministries, and international organizations. It details how CAI-Asia works at city, national, and regional levels—supporting ministries on standards and roadmaps, helping cities implement Clean Air Plans and low-emissions urban development (LEUD), and convening Governmental Meetings, the BAQ conference, and the Clean Air Portal to knit stakeholders together. Priority outcomes include harmonized standards, stronger national/local frameworks (with emphasis on pedestrian infrastructure and green freight), and better access to information and tools.

BAQ 2010 (Singapore, 9–11 Nov.) gathered ~550 participants from 39 countries, with 120+ presentations, 60 posters, and 21 exhibition booths under the theme “Air Quality in a Changing Climate.” Highlights included a keynote on low-emissions street redesign from NYC’s transport commissioner; the Kong Ha Award to Indonesia’s leaded-gasoline phase-out champion; and policy briefings from Singapore’s NEA and LTA (Euro 4 diesel, fuel-efficient vehicles, transport demand management). Surveyed participants rated the event highly, citing networking and knowledge sharing as primary benefits.

Third Governmental Meeting on Urban Air Quality in Asia (8 Nov., Singapore) set near-term recommendations toward the Long-Term Vision of “healthy people in healthy cities” by 2030: conduct more health impact studies; develop an Asia road map for ambient and emission standards; share/align air quality databases; develop a mechanism for regional air quality management (air basins/airsheds); promote co-benefits; and map regional forums for cooperation. This anchored the region’s push toward data sharing, standard setting, and cross-border management of airsheds.

Tools and knowledge platforms expanded substantially. The Clean Air Portal was officially launched and drew almost five million hits in 2010, with Communities of Practice engaging 2,000+ practitioners and the CitiesACT database aggregating air, climate, energy, and transport data. The “Clean Air Toolbox” features the Clean Air Scorecard (piloted in Bangkok, Colombo, Hangzhou, Hanoi, Jakarta, Jinan, Kathmandu, Manila); UNEP’s Clean Fleet Management Toolkit (demonstrated in the Philippines and Indonesia); company-level integrated GHG/air pollution accounting; the Transport Co-Benefits Toolkit (piloted in the Philippines and Thailand); TEEMP for project-level emissions modeling; and the Walkability Survey (21 cities in 2010).

Country snapshots illustrate city-to-national scaling and multi-stakeholder engagement:

China. CAI-Asia convenes annual city workshops with MEP; the China City Network includes 13 cities—eight within State Council priority regional clusters. 2010 work applied the Clean Air Scorecard and Walkability Survey (e.g., Lanzhou), while supporting Guangdong’s green freight pilot and preparing a broader national freight/logistics program. During World Expo 2010, CAI-Asia stood up an English-language site with air quality levels/measures, and catalyzed the Yangtze River Delta Clean Air Forum to strengthen regional collaboration among Shanghai, Zhejiang, and Jiangsu.

India. For the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, CAI-Asia aggregated monitoring data and policies on a mega-events website and issued daily “Delhi’s Race to Clean Air” newsletters to the media. India was a major focus of the 21-city Walkability Survey (eight Indian cities), which revealed poor pedestrian conditions especially near public transport terminals and called for policy and infrastructure improvements.

Indonesia. The Clean Air Scorecard pinpointed Jakarta priorities (PM₂.₅ monitoring; more stations; better inventories; integrating co-benefits). CAI-Asia also trained 20 Jakarta-based fleet operators (≈18,000 vehicles managed) on the UNEP Clean Fleet Management Toolkit—building capabilities in preventive maintenance and eco-driving.

Nepal. Through the Kathmandu Walkability Survey, CAI-Asia created a corps of “Walkability Ambassadors” (48 road stretches, 59 km). Results helped prompt the “no-vehicle zone” at UNESCO-listed Durbar Square and inspired Bhaktapur to launch a similar study. (The report also notes PM10 monitoring with Hong Kong Polytechnic University.)

Pakistan. The Pakistan Clean Air Network established the Quetta Clean Air Coordination Committee, which met six times and initiated actions (e.g., training) while moving the national conversation toward Euro 2 by 2012 and a timetable for Euro 4—critical given high fuel sulfur levels (1,000 ppm gasoline; 10,000 ppm diesel).

Philippines. The “Ligtas Hangin” campaign intensified roadside enforcement along EDSA; a multi-agency coalition petitioned the new administration, contributing to 1,000+ smoke-belching apprehensions in the first 100 days.

The Partnership architecture—a UN Type II Partnership with 200+ organizational members and Country Networks in China, India, Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam—continued to be CAI-Asia’s backbone. The 2010 Partnership meeting (Singapore) approved the new mission and kicked off the 10-year celebration for 2011. CAI-Asia also worked closely with ASEAN bodies and other intergovernmental networks, reinforcing regional alignment.

In sum, 2010 consolidated CAI-Asia’s role as a regional convener and technical resource, embedding co-benefits thinking, walkability, and green freight into policy and practice; strengthening evidence platforms and city capacity; and advancing the shift from isolated city actions to networked, multi-level governance—including steps toward airshed-level collaboration.

Keywords (selected)

BAQ 2010; Long-Term Vision on Urban Air Quality; airsheds / air basins; Clean Air Scorecard; CitiesACT; Clean Air Portal; Communities of Practice; TEEMP; Transport Co-Benefits Toolkit; Walkability Survey (21 cities); Clean Fleet Management Toolkit; green freight / logistics; Euro fuel and vehicle standards; PM₂.₅ monitoring; data sharing / databases; multi-stakeholder coordination; low-emissions urban development (LEUD); pedestrian infrastructure; Commonwealth Games Delhi air quality; Yangtze River Delta Clean Air Forum.