Air pollution continues to pose a significant threat to the environment, quality of life and health of the urban population in Asia. Levels of air pollution in Asian cities regularly exceed World Health Organization recommended guidelines as well as national air quality standards. Many Asian cities have developed some form of air quality management (AQM) system to address the increasing levels of urban air pollution.
However, the sophistication and completeness of the AQM system may not be adequate to effectively address the air pollution problem. An assessment of AQM capabilities of twenty-three cities in Asia was undertaken using the MARC AQM Capability Index questionnaire as part of a benchmarking exercise. Local authorities responsible for AQM in each city completed the questionnaire. The Index outlines four sets of indicators which represent the key components of AQM capability. The preliminary results from the assessment provide a comparative analysis of AQM capability among twenty-three Asian cities at different stages of economic development.
The results from the AQM capability assessment were validated against city profiles, which were composed for each of the cities included in the benchmarking study. This paper identifies the key measures required to provide a comprehensive AQM and to improve urban air quality in the cities of Asia.
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