Islamabad Participants of a seminar concluded with an urgent call for collective action for stronger regional cooperation, increased public awareness and implementation of sustainable policies to protect air quality and public health.
The seminar was on “Mitigation strategies and regional collaboration for clean air: call to action” hosted here by Institute of Regional Studies (IRS) in recognition of the International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies-2024.
Dr Eric Zusman, Research Director at the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES), Japan, underscored the interlinked nature of air pollution and climate change in Asia, emphasising the urgent need for integrated solutions to address the crises effectively. He suggested technological solutions with the potential to significantly improve air quality and mitigate climate change across the region. He also pointed out several challenges to implementing those solutions, including technological, economic, institutional and social barriers and importance of overcoming these challenges, particularly in addressing open burning—a critical issue affecting air quality and climate in the region.
Zia ul Islam, former Director, Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency (PEPA), said that financial constraints, inadequate enforcement of existing laws and limited capacity of regulating agencies were the key barrier to deal with air pollution. To address this, he proposed strategic solutions such as improved stakeholder coordination and stricter enforcement of existing laws along with stringent air quality standards and control on the import of outdated technologies. He also elaborated the danger of open burning in recycling industries, lead-based fuel and paints to air pollution and their adverse health impacts.