The Clean Air and Blue Skies for Asia exchange program of the CAI-Asia Center and CAI-Asia Country Networks, with support from Fredskorpset (FK) Norway, sends young professionals on 10-month postings to Asian countries to gain practical skills in air quality management (AQM) and sustainable urban transport which they can use in their home countries. The exchange program started in October 2008 and will be in five phases until 2013.

Objectives:

The exchange aims to improve air quality in Asian cities and countries by:

• strengthening the capacity of institutions involved in AQM in Asia
  sharing know-how and resources on AQM and environmentally sustainable transport among Asian cities and countries
• building and strengthening relationships between institutions involved in AQM in different Asian countries
• upgrading skills of young professionals in the fields of air quality management (e.g., emissions inventory, source apportionment, air quality monitoring for mobile, stationary and area sources of pollution) and the promotion of environmentally sustainable transport
• developing ability of young professionals and organizations to use AQM benchmarking tools developed by CAI-Asia Center

Phase 1 Partners and Participants (2008-2009)

Phase 1 Results

• Signed collaborative agreement between the University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka and Hong Kong PolyU in 2009 to organize joint activities such as short term courses, training programs, publications and conferences; research activities; exchange of faculty members for research and lectures

• Conduct of collaboration project between Hong Kong PolyU and Center for Environment Monitoring of Vietnam MoNRE on developing driving cycle and vehicle emission inventory in 2009

• Application of knowledge learned during the exchange in the home country (e.g., Vietnamese exchange participant's being given the opportunity to use air quality monitoring knowledge gained in Hong Kong to manage the newest air quality monitoring station in Hanoi which started operating end of May 2009)

Phase 2 Partners and Participants (2009-2010)

Phase 2 Results

• Promote the use of benchmarking tools for air quality management such as the Clean Air Scorecard and Walkability Index

• The walkability survey were conducted in Bhaktapur, Cebu, Colombo, Davao, Hong Kong, Kathmandu and Pokhara. Some results were integrated in an Asian Development Bank publication entitled Sustainable Development Working Paper Series.

• Collaboration with Maldives EPA on the conduct of walkability survey in Male with special focus on persons-with-disabilities. Results of the walkability study is available in the publication entitled 'To Walk or Not To Walk: A Pedestrian's Dilemma in Male'

• Completed collaborative research projects on the following areas:
--- Indoor air pollution study on tea estate sector of Sri Lanka
--- Joint research with Hong Kong PolyU on outdoor air sampling study in Kathmandu
--- Joint research with Hong Kong PolyU on outdoor and indoor air sampling study in Sri Lanka

Phase 3 Partners and Participants (2010-2011)

Phase 3 Results

• Conduct of health exposure assessment study for schoolchildren in Hong Kong and Colombo.

• Completed collaborative research projects for air quality monitoring in Jakarta and Iloilo.

• Continue joint initiatives between Clean Air Sri Lanka and Hong Kong Polytechnic University such as creation of an Air Pollution Research Laboratory at the University of Moratuwa, initiate a split research degree programs (e.g., PhD) and organize a training program/seminar in Colombo by December 2011

• Draft of Clean Air Management Profiles (CAMPs) for Indonesia, Nepal, Philippines, Sri Lanka and Vietnam.

Phase 4 Partners and Participants - Ongoing

Donor: Fredskorpset Norway

Partners:

1. CAI-Asia Center (Lead Partner)
2. Clean Air Sri Lanka
3. Clean Air Network-Nepal
4. Hong Kong Polytechnic University
5. Komite Penghapusan Bensin Bertimbel
6. Vietnam Clean Air Partnership

Duration: 2008 - 2013 (5 phases)

CAI-Asia contact:
Ritchie Anne Rono, ritchie.rono(at)cai-asia.org

Read the experience of participants at http://blue-skies-asia.blogspot.com