Outcome of the High-Level Forum on Clean Air in the Asia-Pacific Region

The High-level Forum on Clean Air in the Asia-Pacific Region was held as follows:

March 2 (Thursday) and 3 (Friday), 2023
In person (Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia) and online

Ministry of Environment and Tourism of Mongolia, United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)

Shangri-La Ulaanbaatar, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia

Twenty ESCAP Member States, two non-Member States and thirty organizations, including relevant national and international organizations and NGOs. From Japan, ONO Hiroshi, Vice-Minister for Global Environmental Affairs, and officials of MOE, officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and other relevant organizations participated online.

Attending Member States:
People's Republic of Bangladesh,  Kingdom of Cambodia,  People's Republic of China,  French Republic, Republic of Indonesia,  Islamic Republic of Iran,  Japan,  Republic of Kazakhstan,  Lao People's Democratic Republic,  Malaysia,  Republic of Maldives,  Mongolia,  Republic of the Philippines,  Republic of Korea, Russian Federation,  Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka,  Kingdom of Thailand,  Republic of Turkey, United States of America,  Socialist Republic of Viet Nam
Attending non-Member States:
Federal Republic of Germany,  Swiss Confederation
 

The forum was focused on operationalizing the “Asia-Pacific Regional Action Programme on Air Pollution (RAPAP)” adopted at the 7th session of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) of the Committee on Environment and Development (CED7). The participants discussed air quality management, air quality monitoring, best practices sharing and capacity building, collaboration on air quality data and standards, and partnership for RAPAP implementation. From Japan, ONO Hiroshi, Vice-Minister for Global Environmental Affairs, MOE Japan, participated in the ministerial roundtable and emphasized Japan’s contribution toward operationalizing the RAPAP.

・Ms. Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Secretary of ESCAP
 
Too many of our citizens, especially the most vulnerable ones, are regularly breathing unclean air. The risk to health and the cost to our economies and our environment require urgent actions. This forum must focus on leveraging our collective expertise and capacities to ensure that those actions are taken immediately and do not differ. The RAPAP states clearly defined areas for countries to develop domestic actions as well as for enhanced regional cooperation. The co-benefits of clean air actions and climate actions are well understood. All countries are encouraged to develop holistic approaches that will result in demonstrative progress in climate action while improving air quality.

・Oyun-Erdene Luvsannamsrai, Prime Minister of Mongolia (proxy reading)
In developing countries in the Asia-Pacific Region, air pollution is severe due to rapid development. Under this situation, Mongolia welcomes the adoption of the RAPAP. Mongolia expects the promotion of interregional cooperation based on the shared awareness that we aim at green development in international regions and protection of the earth.
 

As Japan's contribution to operationalizing the RAPAP, Japan will continue the following efforts:
- Science-based and policy-oriented cooperation through the Acid Deposition Monitoring Network in East Asia (EANET), which is led by Japan
- Enhancement of domestic actions in the Asia-Pacific region with a particular focus on the co-benefits approach
- Foster policy dialogue, including the Japan-China-Korea Tripartite Policy Dialogue on Air Pollution (TPDAP)

<Related web pages>
https://www.env.go.jp/en/press/press_00819.html