Asia-Pacific Nations Seek Collective Action to Tackle Air Pollution

Bangkok, Thailand – Collective action, strengthened partnerships, and enhanced investments are urgently needed to address the escalating air pollution crisis in the Asia-Pacific region, experts emphasized at the 12th Better Air Quality Conference in Bangkok this week. Improving air quality is now considered fundamental to sustainable development across the region.

The Scale of the Problem

Air pollution causes millions of premature deaths annually worldwide and contributes to declines in learning outcomes, reduced productivity, and weakened human capital, according to experts at the conference, which began on Wednesday. Statistics from the United Nations reveal that 92 percent of the Asia-Pacific region’s population – approximately 4 billion people – are exposed to levels of air pollution posing significant health risks. This pollution likewise negatively impacts economic growth, the environment, and agricultural crop yields.

Call for Stronger Collaboration

Bjarne Pedersen, Executive Director of Clean Air Asia, the international non-governmental organization advocating for better air quality in Asia and the main organizer of the event, called for stronger partnerships across governments, funders, the private sector, technical experts, and civil society. He stated the need to catalyze transformative change through collaborative efforts. “As the initiator of the conference, we hope this year’s meeting will underscore the urgent need for collective investment, strengthened partnerships, and meaningful action to reduce air pollution and unlock health, economic, and climate benefits for all,” he said.

Financing Gap and Investment Needs

Yevgeniy Zhukov, Director-General for the Climate Change and Sustainable Development Department of the Asian Development Bank, highlighted a critical financing gap. He revealed that less than 1 percent of global climate finance is currently directed toward air quality actions, with a significant shortfall in funding for urban air quality management in developing nations.

Sharing Best Practices: China’s Experience

The Better Air Quality Conference, which concluded on Friday, brought together over 1,100 participants from 56 countries to drive collaborative action for cleaner air and healthier communities. China shared its experiences in combating air pollution, with experts from Beijing, Shanghai, and Chengdu presenting their approaches. These included Beijing’s regulation-monitoring-inspection model, Shanghai’s pioneering work on industrial volatile organic compounds and smart systems for diesel vehicle supervision, and Chengdu’s pilot near-zero carbon construction program.

Regional Cooperation and Inspiration

Le Thanh Thuy, Deputy Head of the Environmental Management Division under the Hanoi Department of Agriculture and Environment in Vietnam, emphasized the importance of dialogue for implementing integrated air quality solutions. She noted that China’s experience and technologies are supportive of regional efforts. Erni Pelita Fitratunnisa, Head of the Division for Pollution and Environmental Damage Control of the Jakarta Environment Agency in Indonesia, expressed inspiration from China’s diversified solutions and a strong willingness to cooperate with Chinese experts to develop tailored solutions for Indonesia.

Strengthening Ties: China and Southeast Asia

Cooperation between China and Southeast Asia has been growing. In 2025, the Beijing Municipal Ecology and Environment Bureau and the Environment Department of the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration signed a memorandum of understanding on air quality monitoring and management cooperation. This three-year agreement will notice Beijing share its best practices with Bangkok, particularly in monitoring and reducing PM2.5 pollutants.

China’s Progress in Air Quality Improvement

Over the past decade, China has achieved significant improvements in air quality, with PM2.5 concentrations decreasing by an average of 57 percent across the country, according to official statistics. He Kebin, a professor from Tsinghua University’s School of Environment and the chairman of the China Advisory Committee of Clean Air Asia, attributed this improvement to emission reduction measures across industrial, power, vehicle, and agricultural sectors.