Clean Air Initiative for Asian Cities Center 2007 Annual Report

Milestone year & organizational shift.
2007 marks a structural turning point: the Clean Air Initiative for Asian Cities (CAI-Asia) incorporated the CAI-Asia Center as an independent legal entity (20 June 2007), moving from an informal partnership hosted by ADB into a permanent, Manila-based NGO with its own Board of Trustees. Leadership frames the transition as essential to scale local–national–regional air-quality management (AQM) and to respond to rapid urbanization and motorization across Asia (e.g., Beijing ~1,300 new vehicles/day; Bangalore ~900/day). The year also coincides with the Bali climate talks, highlighting the co-benefits nexus that links air-pollution reduction with climate mitigation.

Mission, architecture, and delivery model.
The Center now stewards a three-part architecture: the CAI-Asia Center (implementing arm), the CAI-Asia Partnership (UN Type II multi-stakeholder network), and Local Networks (country chapters). Strategy is operationalized through four integrated components: Knowledge Management, Capacity Building, Networking & Policy Development, and Investment & Implementation—a pipeline designed to move evidence → skills → policies → projects. Seven Local Networks were active in 2007 (China, Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Viet Nam), with India planned for 2008—enabling country-level planning, partner dialogues, and city-to-city exchange.

Problem framing & business case.
The report reiterates the health, economic, and social costs of urban air pollution (e.g., hundreds of thousands of premature deaths; 2–4% GDP losses), the persistence of PM exceedances across many cities, and the multi-scalar nature of the challenge (indoor, urban, and regional/transboundary pollution). It argues that reductions in fuel sulfur, stronger vehicle standards, and control of stationary sources must be paired with urban-transport and land-use measures to bend emissions trajectories.

Co-benefits: air pollution & climate, right now.
Anticipating a lag between global climate momentum and city-level implementation, CAI-Asia advances the co-benefits approach: actions that cities and countries take for air quality (clean fuels, energy efficiency, inspection & maintenance, retirement of high-emitting vehicles, public transport, non-motorized transport) also reduce CO₂ and short-lived climate pollutants (e.g., black carbon, tropospheric ozone). The report positions co-benefits as a pragmatic entry point for ministries that prioritize energy security and public health.

Knowledge Management (KM)

Platforms & data.
The Center expands one of Asia’s largest AQM information hubs—website, listserv, and e-newsletters—and plans upgrades (RSS, blogs, wikis). A new integrated AQM (iAQM) database is initiated with the Global Atmospheric Pollution Forum to bring together demographics, AQ levels & trends, GHGs, and impacts in a single analytical framework. The annual AQM Compendium grows to 87 organization profiles, 396 project profiles, and 28 regular training courses, helping donors and governments coordinate efforts and spot gaps.

Who it serves.
KM targets decision-makers (city/national), practitioners (agencies, academia, NGOs), and the private sector—turning raw information into usable guidance and strengthening Communities of Practice across Asia.

Capacity Building

From individual training to systems.
Beyond workshops, CAI-Asia emphasizes Training-of-Trainers and institutionalized training systems so capacity persists and scales. In 2007 it piloted the Chinese Improved Training System for AQM (CITSAM) with SEPA (now MEE), A&WMA, and US EPA—anchoring content to national priorities and provincial/city needs. The year also delivered basic AQM and emissions-inventory courses in China and launched a basic AQM curriculum in Pakistan. City-to-city visits (e.g., Sri Lanka teams to Hong Kong on vehicle I&M) translate classroom content into operational practice.

Innovative learning modes.
The Center road-tests webinars, video capture (“vlogs”), and expanded study tours to reduce cost and reach more practitioners—approaches it plans to mainstream for BAQ 2008 and beyond.

Networking & Policy Development

Regional alignment.
CAI-Asia co-hosts Governmental Meetings on Urban Air Quality in Asia (with UNEP/UNCRD), where 20+ countries endorsed developing a Long-Term Vision on Urban Air Quality—a north star for converging standards, reporting, and coordination. Annual Regional Dialogues with development partners improve donor coordination; engagement with GAPF, PCFV, and the Regional Forum on Environment and Health helps synchronize technical work and policy signals.

National & local policy support.
Examples include technical assistance to Viet Nam’s 2007 State of the Environment report (air quality theme) and drafting Philippine administrative orders to implement the Clean Air Act’s “citizen suit” provision—strengthening accountability and enforcement. Local Networks host annual partner meetings, produce business plans, and lead Country Roundtables at BAQ to surface priorities and build multi-sector coalitions.

Investment & Implementation

Sustainable Urban Mobility in Asia (SUMA).
As a flagship for on-the-ground change, SUMA accelerates BRT and people-centred mobility while building local training systems. In Ahmedabad, ITDP/CEPT completed origin-destination surveys and GIS-based service planning for a BRT to launch in 2009; EMBARQ-WRI began support in Indore (BRT planning; a multi-city survey under JNNURM). The Interface for Cycling Expertise (I-CE) advanced cycling-inclusive planning in Pune and Nanded; social-impact guidelines for urban transport were prepared for field testing on Ahmedabad BRT. Key regional trends: more cities plan BRT than rail, carbon finance starts to matter, and scaling to megacities is the next hurdle.

Clean fuels, vehicles, and freight.
Work continues on the Road Map for Cleaner Fuels & Vehicles (sulfur reduction; synchronized fuel/vehicle standards; pricing & tax levers) and on inspection & maintenance and clean-fleet programs. Early green freight pilots (e.g., Guangzhou “green trucks”) and dialogues laid the groundwork for the China Green Freight initiative and a broader regional push aligned with SmartWay-style concepts.

Communications, governance & finance

Stakeholder quotes (ADB, UNEP, SEI, Shell, A&WMA, Civic Exchange, ITDP) underscore CAI-Asia’s convening power and technical credibility. The Center’s website averaged ~26,000 monthly visits in 2007, with 1,251 listserv members and multiple country e-newsletters. Financially, from incorporation to end-2007, support & income totaled ~US$0.675M (73% SUMA grant; 26% membership donations), with US$0.462M in grant expenses and US$0.120M G&A; the independent audit issued an unqualified opinion under Philippine Financial Reporting Standards.

Bottom line.
2007 is the institutional take-off: the CAI-Asia Center formalizes, scales knowledge → capacity → policy → implementation, and positions co-benefits as the organizing lens. With Local Networks activated, training systems seeded, and SUMA/transport pilots underway, the organization sets up Asia’s city systems for science-based AQM—while laying the regional vision and data infrastructure needed for standards convergence, public reporting, and airshed-level cooperation.

Keywords

CAI-Asia Center incorporation (2007); Local Networks (China, Indonesia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Viet Nam); Knowledge Management; iAQM database (with GAPF); AQM Compendium (organizations, projects, trainings); Training-of-Trainers; CITSAM (China training system); Governmental Meetings on Urban Air Quality; Long-Term Vision; Co-benefits (air & climate); Clean Air Act “citizen suit” (Philippines); SUMA program; BRT (Ahmedabad, Indore); Cycling-inclusive planning (Pune, Nanded); Inspection & Maintenance; Road Map for Cleaner Fuels & Vehicles; Green freight pilots; Stakeholder networks (PCFV, Regional Forum on Environment & Health).