Publications·December 30, 2016
2016 was both a milestone (CAA’s 15th anniversary) and a pivot year in which the organization scaled up regional programs and tools to accelerate air quality management in Asian cities. The year-in-review points to headline achievements: the 9th Better Air Quality (BAQ) Conference in Busan, the launch of the Guidance Framework for Better Air Quality in Asian Cities, publication of the first English China Air reports, rollout of the online Clean Air Scorecard Tool (CAST), the Cities for Clean Air Certification initiative, and a new 2017–2020 strategy.
Guidance Framework & government cooperation
In February, CAA launched the landmark Guidance Framework, a practical roadmap to help countries and cities plan, stage, and implement AQM actions. Follow-on regional workshops in Manila and Beijing (with representatives from the Philippines, China, Mongolia, and Vietnam) focused on using the framework to strengthen capabilities.
To embed the Framework in policy dialogue, CAA convened the Sixth Governmental Meeting on Urban Air Quality in Asia in Busan as a BAQ pre-event, gathering more than 20 environment ministries to pursue the Long-Term Vision for Urban Air Quality and harmonize approaches across countries.
BAQ/WCAC Busan 2016
The 9th BAQ Conference, held jointly with the IUAPPA World Clean Air Congress, drew 1,000+ participants from 55 countries and 181 cities, featuring 5 plenaries, 65 breakouts, 300 oral presentations, and 244 posters—plus program launches including CAST and the Child Health and Mobility Initiative. The theme, “Clean Air for Cities – Perspectives and Solutions,” centered the city scale as the locus of impact and sources.
CAST (Clean Air Scorecard Tool) goes online
CAA released the new online CAST at BAQ (Sept 1), enabling accessible, objective assessment of a city’s air quality management capacity alongside air quality status and related policies. CAA positions CAST as essential for cities to understand their readiness and identify gaps.
Country and city programs (examples)
China: CAA published China Air 2015 (first English edition) and China Air 2016, documenting air quality trends (e.g., average declines in PM₂.₅, PM₁₀, SO₂, NO₂ since 2014 in key cities) and policy implementation. Coverage exceeded 1,750 media mentions. CAA also signed an MoU with FECO/MEP to deepen AQM support and regional knowledge exchange.
Technical collaboration included city workshops, and in Dalian CAA-supported boiler retrofits and coal controls yielded significant SO₂ and dust emission reductions.
Vietnam: At national request, CAA developed emissions inventory guidelines and tools for the urea industry and a model emission permitting framework aligned with the Guidance Framework, supporting MONRE’s circular on industrial emissions registration.
Philippines: CAA partnered with EMB to assess the AQM status and priorities of 19 cities and one municipality using the Guidance Framework and CAST. It also supported BLISTT Airshed stakeholders via a training on vehicle maintenance, fuel efficiency, and eco-driving after identifying mobile sources as the largest contributors. CAA further helped expand EANET, with new monitoring equipment and technical training in Manila and Phnom Penh.
India: With a new team and Delhi office, CAA launched Train for Clean Air: Clean Air for Kids with the US Embassy and selected 30 cities for CAST application; it also advanced regional training roles under Train-For-Clean-Air (T4CA) recognized by ASEAN.
Republic of Korea: Host of BAQ/WCAC and the Governmental Meeting.
Sustainable transport, walkability & sensors
CAA emphasized walkability and non-motorized transport as core to urban emissions reduction, including a BAQ Walkability & Air-Sensing Tour using AirBeam PM₂.₅ sensors and a regional Sustainable Urban Mobility & Urban Planning workshop for planners and policymakers. CAA also helped build the Transport Databank (ADB, TRL, UC Davis, SLoCaT), tailoring models for 40 ADB DMCs.
Clean fuels, vehicles & eco-driving
CAA advanced clean fuel and vehicle standards across Southeast Asia. A Manila workshop gathered ASEAN stakeholders to back the Philippines’ Euro 4 rollout and share experience regionally; CAA trained Cambodia’s transport ministry and partners to begin a road-transport GHG inventory; and in Indonesia it continued an Eco-Driving Program in Jakarta, including a communications plan for wider uptake. CAA also published Vehicle Inspection & Maintenance in Asia: Status and Challenges, reviewing I/M policies and practices in 12 economies (e.g., Bangladesh, China/Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Vietnam).
Green Freight & Logistics
At BAQ’s Green Freight and Logistics Day, government, development banks, and industry underlined a compelling environmental and business case for freight efficiency, calling to Create, Align, Integrate programs and implement the Global Green Freight Action Plan. Regional efforts also included GMS workshops engaging delegates from Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, Viet Nam, Singapore, Thailand, Philippines, China, India, Japan, and European partners to prioritize measures for national and regional action plans.
Strategy & external contributions
CAA unveiled its 2017–2020 strategy—linking air quality, climate and health, expanding stationary-source, indoor air pollution, and transboundary haze workstreams, while continuing to scale AQM and sustainable transport programs. CAA also contributed to the IEA Energy and Air Pollution 2016 special report.
Bottom line
The report shows CAA deepening capacity building, assessment, and policy support in multiple countries; mainstreaming city-focused tools (CAST, Guidance Framework); expanding transport interventions (walkability, data systems, eco-driving, I/M); and strengthening multistakeholder platforms (BAQ, Governmental Meetings, Green Freight). These advances collectively aim to cut emissions from mobile sources and industry, improve data & monitoring, and drive coordinated, city-led AQM across Asia.
Keywords
Guidance Framework, BAQ 2016 Busan, Governmental Meeting, Clean Air Scorecard Tool (CAST), China Air 2015/2016, FECO MoU, Long-Term Vision, Walkability, AirBeam sensors, Transport Databank, Eco-driving, Vehicle Inspection & Maintenance (I/M), Euro 4 (Philippines), Green Freight and Logistics Day, Global Green Freight Action Plan, BLISTT Airshed, Emissions inventory (Vietnam urea), Emission permitting (Vietnam), EANET expansion, Dalian boiler retrofit, Train for Clean Air, Capacity building, Multistakeholder platform.