Clean Air Asia 2020 Annual Report

This is Clean Air Asia’s (CAA) official account of 2020—what the organization did, where it worked, and how it financed and governed its operations during a pandemic year. It combines program narratives (policy, capacity building, communications), country updates (China, India, Philippines, Southeast and South Asia), and an audited financial statement. It also situates CAA in the region’s institutional landscape (UN-recognized partnership; country networks; convenings such as BAQ).

Who CAA is—and how it works

CAA is a multi-stakeholder, science-based NGO aiming to reduce air pollution and greenhouse gases in 1,000+ Asian cities, operating through capacity building, policy support, and information/awareness programs across air quality, transport, industrial emissions, and energy. It maintains headquarters in Manila with offices in Beijing and New Delhi, and runs six Country Networks (Indonesia/FUBI, Malaysia/MyCAN, Nepal/CANN, Philippines/PCA, Sri Lanka/CleanAirSL, Viet Nam/VCAP). Values include partnership, independence, and excellence; aims emphasize actionable guidance, linking air–climate–health with SDGs/Paris, and strengthening city/national systems.

2020 context & executive lens

The Executive Director’s statement frames 2020 as a pivot year: temporary air-quality gains during lockdowns were “fleeting,” demanding faster structural action that aligns post-COVID recovery with air and climate goals. CAA launched a new organizational strategy for the decade, pushed for stricter coal-fired power (CFP) emission controls, and rolled out the City Solutions Toolkit so cities can choose measures and estimate benefits for air, climate, and health. The call: embed sustainability in economic rebuilding, accelerate decarbonization, and keep communications innovative and evidence-driven.

Program results
Improving policy (national, city, and sector)

Philippines (Metro Manila cities). In Manila, CAA built a Clean Air Action Plan (CAAP) from a baseline of air quality, emissions, and health mapping; created the Hinga Maynila Task Force to institutionalize inter-agency AQM coordination; and supported Quezon City with a monitoring-network roadmap and an AQMP development pathway. In Santa Rosa, CAA prepared an integrated Clean Air & Climate Action Plan focusing on priority co-benefit measures.

ADB TA cities. Under ADB’s “Strengthening Knowledge and Actions for Air Quality Improvement”, CAA advanced CAAPs and diagnostics in Erdenet (Mongolia), La Trinidad (Philippines), Faridpur (Bangladesh), Sialkot & Peshawar (Pakistan), Ho Chi Minh City & Vinh Yen (Viet Nam)—including policy and technology assessments to prioritize measures.

China. The China Air 2020 report tracked air quality in 337 prefecture-level cities and ran a Blue Sky City ranking of 168 key cities, using public reporting to spur performance improvements.

India. A policy brief on clean-tech-enabled implementation in Indian cities (with CSIR-NISTADS & UNDP Accelerator Labs) and a roundtable on integrating climate and air action for non-attainment cities in Madhya Pradesh generated co-benefits roadmaps and departmental action points. CAA also supported the Climate Smart Cities Framework to include air-quality indicators and mentored 100 smart cities.

Coal-fired power (regional). CAA’s policy analysis of CFP emission standards in Bangladesh, Indonesia, Pakistan, Philippines, Viet Nam warned that without stronger controls, planned capacity (about 31% of global planned additions across the five) would increase air pollutant and CO₂ emissions. Follow-up work included a Bangladesh CFP status report and Viet Nam guidance on BACT retrofits and enforcement capacity; the Philippines review mapped policy gaps and coordination needs, with Bataan/Limay receiving modeling, emissions inventory, and benefits mapping to inform local management.

Transport policy & standards. CAA assisted Cambodia (through ISC) to prioritize standards to accelerate electric two-/three-wheelers, and progressed Indonesia’s eco-driving institutionalization (driver certification, NSPK integration). A comparative China Ambient Air Quality Standards study recommended international best-practice upgrades. CAA also developed a primer on cost–benefit analysis for Indian cities to finance cost-effective CAAP implementation, plus a technology transfer policy brief for enabling innovation.

Building capacity (people, systems, institutions)

City Solutions Toolkit (IBAQ). CAA launched an AQM toolkit covering monitoring, emissions inventory & modeling, health impacts, communications, CAAP, governance, and co-benefits, with planned modules on financing, technology transfer, and integrated air–climate planning. It offers step-by-step guidance to make CAAPs practical and measurable.

Philippines. In Bataan, CAA trained provincial/municipal staff on data handling for emissions, policy processes, and carrying capacity for future CFP emissions; in Manila, it delivered hands-on training for sensor collocation/calibration to support the city’s CAAP. Quezon City agencies received multi-session training in AQM fundamentals and monitoring, complete with capacity assessment and an M&E framework.

Viet Nam. Regional DONREs trained on CFP emissions monitoring, inspection, data processing, and enforcement; civil society capacity was strengthened to engage in public oversight. The Northern Center for Environmental Monitoring committed to further trainings in data management and policy implementation.

South/Southeast & Central Asia. With ADB, CAA ran online trainings on non-reference sensors for La Trinidad, Faridpur, Erdenet, Peshawar, Sialkot. The Asia Blue Skies program convened Manila, New Delhi, Bogor, Jambi, Balikpapan for peer learning on managing air quality during/beyond COVID-19. Transport webinars on open data showcased practices from Singapore, Seoul, Chinese Taipei, Jakarta, London for ASEAN metros.

China programs. Through BlueGull, six NGO teams worked on port & vessel emissions at 20+ ports, raising public and policy awareness and addressing onshore-power barriers and fugitive dust. The new Power for Blue Skies program funded NGO projects targeting high-coal sectors (CFPs, iron & steel). CAA also hosted the 7th Northeast AQM Workshop on VOCs and non-road sources, and ran a Clean Air newspaper column series to spread best practice.

India AQM modules. CAA localized Train for Clean Air into three modules (decision-makers’ AQM, effective communication, air-quality monitoring) to support the National Clean Air Programme, and partnered with ACAP to train non-attainment cities in Madhya Pradesh on monitoring technologies and standards.

Informing for action (awareness, data use, coalitions)

CAA used global moments—World Environment Day (+Blue campaign) and the UN International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies—to amplify air & climate messages (celebrities, experts, NGOs; WeChat/Weibo reach), and co-organized a UNEP webinar on sustaining air-quality gains post-COVID. In the CFP space, CAA mobilized stakeholders in the Philippines (including an art contest), and convened Bataan agencies on monitoring and episode response. Transport communications included an eco-driving webinar and e-2/3-wheelers policy discourse across Asia Pacific. CAA launched green truck and green port rankings in China to pressure supply chains and port authorities. Youth engagement grew through YCAN actions (school toolkits, campaigns like “Second Chance Challenge,” “Nature Hack for Clean Air”).

Governance, donors, and finances

Governance. A Board of Trustees (former ADB VP, academics, city leaders, private-sector executives) oversees CAA; Articles/Bylaws and an Operations Manual define processes. Country Networks keep multi-stakeholder engagement rooted in national contexts. Major partners span multilaterals, foundations, technical institutes, and private firms.

Finances (audited). Support & income in 2020 totaled US$ 2.719M (4% below 2019), with Grant expenses US$ 2.039M; G&A US$ 589k; Fundraising US$ 79.9k. CAA posted an operating surplus of US$ 10.8k; fund balance ended at US$ 498.5k after retirement-obligation remeasurement. Financial statements (PFRS, accrual basis) received an unqualified opinion from SGV & Co (EY). Expense breakdowns show project implementation/sub-grants dominating outlays; G&A represented ~22% of revenues (ex-fundraising).

Why 2020 matters in CAA’s trajectory

CAA converted constraints into delivery: evidence-based CAAPs in Philippine cities; actionable policy advice in China and India; regional CFP standards advocacy backed by capacity building and local modeling; sensor know-how and QA/QC; transport standards and eco-driving mainstreaming; and youth/public engagement that sustains political will. The through-line is co-benefits: measures that cut PM and ozone precursors while bending CO₂—paired with the financing and governance muscles to implement them post-pandemic.

Keywords

Clean Air Asia (CAA); City Solutions Toolkit; Clean Air Action Plans (CAAP); coal-fired power standards (Bangladesh, Indonesia, Pakistan, Philippines, Viet Nam); Bataan/Limay modeling; China Air 2020; BlueGull & Power for Blue Skies; green truck/port rankings; e-2/3-wheelers standards (Cambodia); eco-driving institutionalization (Indonesia); sensor calibration/collocation (Manila, Quezon City); ADB TA cities (Erdenet, La Trinidad, Faridpur, Peshawar, Sialkot, HCMC, Vinh Yen); cost–benefit primer & tech transfer policy brief (India); audited finances (PFRS; SGV & Co; US$ 2.719M revenues; surplus).