Clean Air Asia 2018 Annual Report

This 2018 Annual Report presents Clean Air Asia’s (CAA) mission, programs, and year-in-review highlights across Asia, emphasizing a strategy of improving policy, building capacity, and informing for action. CAA frames air pollution as a cross-cutting challenge intimately linked to climate change and urban development, and positions itself as a regional training hub and multi-stakeholder convener working toward measurable air-quality improvements in more than a thousand Asian cities.

Organizational approach and values. CAA foregrounds partnership, independence, and evidence-based guidance. Its approach includes actionable guidance for policy makers; facilitation of best-practice adoption; and explicit linkage of air quality, health, climate, and the SDGs to build a compelling case for action in developing cities. Values emphasize multi-stakeholder collaboration, excellence, and adaptability—framed as essential for a trusted, region-wide changemaker.

2018 strategy & results. CAA scaled up efforts amid the “triple challenge” of air pollution, climate emergency, and cumulative health impacts. Workstreams included helping cities design and implement Clean Air Action Plans (CAAPs), launching knowledge products (notably Breakthroughs: China’s Path to Clean Air 2013–2017), and expanding online learning via the IBAQ Learning Portal. The report stresses tangible assistance to cities (e.g., four Indian cities supported on CAAPs) and the central role of capacity building to consolidate subnational impacts.

A major platform for exchange was the Better Air Quality (BAQ) 2018 Conference in Kuching, Malaysia—theme “Regional Action, Global Impact.” It assembled 695 participants from 44 countries across plenaries, 36 breakouts, and multiple launches (e.g., the IBAQ e-learning portal, a fuel-economy chatbot, and a BreatheLife sign-up). Senior speakers underscored the need for interdependence and cross-region learning to meet rapid urbanization and climate pressures.

Air Quality & Climate Change Program. As a regional resource hub, CAA supports cities and governments on standards and monitoring, emissions inventories, health impact assessment, risk communication, and science-based CAAPs. Outcomes include: (1) the Guidance Framework for Better Air Quality in Asian Cities (operational core of the Integrated Programme for Better Air Quality); (2) a regional training system with universities/NGOs; and (3) the Clean Air Scorecard to diagnose strengths/weaknesses and guide policy priorities.

In 2018 the program launched the Air Quality in Asia: Status and Trends 2018 report (spatial maps, WHO guideline status by city type, PM₂.₅ standards timeline, monitoring station counts, AQI comparisons, and policy highlights) and opened the IBAQ Learning Portal, broadening reach through structured courses and case-based resources. CAA also co-convened a regional consultation on governmental urban air-quality meetings with UN Environment, aimed at communities of practice and capacity assessments tied to UNEA and SDGs.

Training and co-benefits integration featured prominently: pre- and side-events at BAQ delivered toolkits on urban AQ management to officials from Africa and Southeast Asia, plus a workshop on embedding air-quality/climate co-benefits into policy.

City-level action and networks. Through its role as Asia coordinator for BreatheLife, CAA advanced action in seven cities in 2018, welcoming Baguio, Santa Rosa, Iloilo, and Marikina (Philippines), Kathmandu and Lalitpur (Nepal), and Can Tho (Viet Nam). Support included budget allocation for emissions inventories and inter-departmental coordination for CAAPs. All three Philippine cities received Cities for Clean Air Awards at BAQ 2018.

Country snapshots.

Philippines: In Marikina City, CAA facilitated a science-based CAAP using a multi-stakeholder approach (DENR, universities, private sector), combining monitoring, source apportionment, and emissions inventory. CAA also launched a project on stationary sources, partnering with DENR and experts to tighten coal-fired power plant emission standards, create a review work plan, and form a technical working group.

India: CAA ran awareness workshops in Dehradun, Tricity, Jabalpur, and Bhopal—leading to CAAP development in Dehradun and Bhopal, and planning in Agra and Bhubaneswar after the National Clean Air Programme announcement. It also trained officials in Guwahati and organized a technology solutions roundtable with follow-ups between cities and providers. Youth engagement through a clean air video challenge fed into NCAP awareness.

China: 2018 was a milestone—CAA became one of the first officially registered foreign NGOs in China, enabling program acceleration. Thirteen projects launched (seven completed) across three pillars: (i) synthesizing China’s 2013–2017 clean-air experience and policy recommendations (Breakthroughs and China Air 2018, plus a Chengdu policy-evaluation); (ii) inaugurating the BlueGull Partnership to empower local NGOs on vessel/port emissions; and (iii) AQM trainings for 488 officials from 21 provinces/66 cities on ozone control, heating-season/emergency control, and emissions-inventory development.
BlueGull also catalyzed media and public engagement on shipping emissions (27 journalists trained; 340+ articles), and CAA launched an AQM Knowledge Hub column in China Environment News to share international practice with MEE/local authorities.

Mongolia: Provincial capacity building on emissions inventories via a tailored tool and national guidelines, delivered with ACAP and local agencies.

Indonesia: Support to Bogor City on mainstreaming air-quality measures into urban planning via a CAAP process and expert consortium; alignment with BAPPEDA’s climate/SD agendas.

Viet Nam: Training with Center for Environmental Monitoring and Hanoi authorities on monitoring/data management, policy-relevant data analysis, and validation.

Sustainable Transport Program. CAA’s transport portfolio spans Clean Fuels & Vehicles, Low-Emissions Urban Development, and Green Freight & Logistics—addressing standards, fuel quality, inspection/maintenance of in-use fleets, walkability/cycling and land-use integration, and freight efficiency. The Green Freight track helped initiate the Global Green Freight Action Plan under CCAC and works toward a Regional Cooperation Agreement with UNCRD and ESCAP. Program workstreams include establishing national/regional GF programs, expanding the Green Freight Asia private-sector network, and advancing measurement tools and indicators.

Regional collaboration & knowledge. Beyond BAQ, CAA supports ASEAN on the Transboundary Haze roadmap and fosters coordination among regional initiatives on AQM, sustainable transport, clean energy, and urban development, underscoring the organization’s convening role across government, academia, civil society, and private sector.

Recognition & governance. The Kong Ha Award acknowledged Beijing’s municipal bureau for significant pollutant reductions (2013–2017), contributing to more “good-air” days and life-expectancy gains, with lessons for emerging economies and fast-growing cities.

Finances & donors. Revenues in 2018 were USD 2.77M; grant expenses USD 2.20M; fundraising USD 83.8k; G&A USD 480k; and an overall small surplus. The statements were audited (unqualified opinion) under Philippine Financial Reporting Standards. A broad donor slate spans development banks, foundations, private sector, and UN agencies.

Overall, the report depicts an organization deepening city-level delivery, broadening regional training/knowledge, and cementing multi-stakeholder coalitions—particularly in transport emissions, emissions inventories, and city action planning—while leveraging regional convenings (BAQ) to accelerate learning and policy uptake.

Keywords

Clean Air Action Plan (CAAP); emissions inventory; source apportionment; air quality monitoring; BreatheLife cities; Better Air Quality (BAQ) 2018; Guidance Framework; IBAQ Learning Portal; BlueGull Partnership (shipping/vessel emissions); Green Freight & Logistics; Clean Fuels & Vehicles; low-emissions urban development; transboundary haze (ASEAN roadmap); China Air 2018; Breakthroughs 2013–2017; capacity building; city-to-city cooperation; media engagement; National Clean Air Programme (India); policy evaluation.