Project description

Title: Clean Air and Climate Change Mitigation for Smaller Cities in the ASEAN Region
Commissioned by: German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)
Country: Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam
Lead executing agency: ASEAN Secretariat
Overall term: 2009 to 2012

Context

South East Asian countries are at various stages of development, yet they face similar environmental problems. One of the effects of accelerating population growth and rapid industrial development is a decline in air quality. Industrial manufacturing, coal mining and power plants are often a major pollution source. .

In most small and medium-sized cities, exhaust emissions resulting from traffic are often the main cause of air pollution. Many of these cities do not monitor air quality regularly and have no clean air strategies in place. They also often lack the skills and resources to generate and use financial resources available for air quality improvement. Furthermore, small and medium-sized cities are frequently neglected in overall urban planning.

Poor air quality affects health: diseases of the cardiovascular system and upper respiratory tract and an increased cancer risk shorten life expectancy, while poor air quality can also cause skin and eye diseases and increase the incidence of allergic reactions. Children and the elderly are especially vulnerable. The urban poor, such as street vendors, are also heavily exposed to poor air quality, as their workplaces are usually located directly on busy streets.

Air pollution also reduces crop yields and causes damage to buildings and other built infrastructure. Better air quality can reduce such effects. Clean air also helps to mitigate climate change: air quality measures in industry and transport, including better maintenance of engines and boilers as well as the reduction of traffic levels cut fuel consumption and hence greenhouse gas emissions.

Objective

Smaller and medium-sized cities are increasingly able to develop and implement measures to improve the air quality and contribute to sustainable city development.

Approach

Working with national partners and representatives of the ASEAN Secretariat, the project has selected a number of cities in the seven participating ASEAN countries: two in each of Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand and Viet Nam and one in each of Cambodia, Lao PDR and Malaysia. These cities receive support in developing and implementing clear air plans with the participation of both the private industry and civil society. To emphasise ownership, the municipalities or national authorities concerned take responsibility for implementing aspects such as the development of standards or the statutory framework. The involvement of local universities and a focus on measures that can be implemented quickly are further success factors of the project. Capacity development is crucial to maintaining clean air, so the project is also developing a standardised modular training system on air quality called ‘Train for Clean Air’.

Results achieved so far

Mayors, governors and other high-ranking representatives of municipal and provincial governments show remarkable interest in the project. The focus on public participation and ownership has resulted in spontaneous cooperation in a number of cities between civil society, universities, municipal authorities and other institutions.

Further information

• Clean Air for Smaller Cities in the ASEAN Region
  Local project website
  http://www.CitiesForCleanAir.org