Manila, Dec 13, 2006 AEST (ABN Newswire) - The Government of Sweden is supporting ADB activities to address air quality in Asia's developing countries through the provision of extra grant funds equivalent to $2.43 million.
The funds will be used to extend an air quality management technical assistance (TA) project approved in December 2005 that was initially backed by a grant of $655,000 from the Government of Finland to stabilize air pollution levels in major Asian cities.
The TA will continue its support the Clean Air Initiative for Asian Cities (CAI-Asia), which will become an independent body.
The CAI-Asia network was set up by ADB, World Bank, and United States-Asia Environmental Partnership in 2001, with its secretariat housed at ADB's Manila Headquarters. Over the last five years, it has grown into the largest and most relevant regional initiative on air quality management.
"ADB is pleased to have hosted the CAI-Asia Secretariat in our Manila headquarters since its creation, but we are equally pleased to be facilitating this next logical move in its institutional development," says Nessim J. Ahmad, Director of ADB's Environment and Social Safeguard Division.
"We will continue to support CAI-Asia even as it broadens its financial base and consolidates its networking, policy analysis and demonstration activities."
The TA project has been working to set up air quality management systems, strengthen air quality management networks, and boost air quality management programs and projects.
Under the extended TA, there will be additional emphasis to promoting sustainable urban transport.
Rapid motorization is now a significant source of air pollution in Asia. While a majority of Asia's motor vehicles are now regulated by vehicle emission and fuel quality standards, the rise in the number of vehicles and of vehicle kilometers traveled threatens to offset the technological gains to reduce pollution.
"Sweden's support for the ADB air quality assistance marks a major expansion for the project that will enable ADB to respond in a more timely and comprehensive manner to supporting policies and programs for better air quality management in the region," says Werner Liepach, Principal Director of ADB's Office of Cofinancing Operations.
CAI-Asia is an informal network of international agencies, governments, academic institutions, nongovernment organizations, and private companies supporting improved air quality management in Asia.
Among the events organized by CAI-Asia is the Better Air Quality 2006 (BAQ 2006) conference, which opens tomorrow in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, and is expected to attract nearly 1,000 decision makers, experts, and practitioners to discuss progress and practices on air quality management in Asia.
Under the revised arrangements, the TA activities, which began in January, will be carried out now over three years rather than 18 months as originally planned.
Contact
Graham Dwyer
Email: gdwyer@adb.org
Tel:+632 632 5253; Mobile: +63 920 938-6487
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