As scientific evidence linking air quality and climate change increases, the approach to have combined strategies to address two of the most important and relevant atmospheric problems are drawing more attention. On 12-14 March, the "Saltsjöbaden 3" workshop was conducted in Gothenburg, Sweden which looked at both the scientific and policy links between air pollution and climate change. Its theme this year: Air pollution and its relations to climate change and sustainable development - linking immediate needs with long term challenges.

Mr. Cornie Huizenga, head of the CAI-Asia secretariat, delivered a presentation in the Working Group 1 session to discuss the relevance of the co-benefits principle for Asia, and the potential opportunities for EU assistance in applying a co-benefits approach to climate change and air pollution in Asia. In the same presentation, he also enumerated the different projects and activities of CAI-Asia on this theme. CAI-Asia is one of a handful of organizations that actively promotes the co-benefits approach in Asia. "There is a growing discussion and interest on the combined strategies to address climate change and air pollution in Asia but assistance from Europe is required to bridge the gap in capacity and lack of resources to further promote the co-benefits approach in the region," he stressed.

CAI-Asia's presentation for the Saltsjobaden 3 Workshop as well as conclusions of all Working Groups and presentations of other presentors are available from this link: http://asta.ivl.se/Saltsjobaden3.htm

Because combustion of fuels for energy and transport are common emission sources of Greenhouse gases, policies that address the first issue can thus influence the other. A combined approach of climate change and air pollution reduction can have positive synergetic effects.

The linkage between these two issues have been highlighted in several activities especially in Europe, e.g. the Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution (CLRTAP) and research programs such the EU ACCENT Network of Excellence. Within the European Commission, the problem has recently become important due to the advantages in linking climate and air pollution policies. The recently concluded Saltsjobaden 3 workshop reflected the increased interest of Europe to include hemispheric aspects as well as relations between regional (international) and local air pollution issues. Three of the eight working groups (WG) in the Saltsjobaden 3 workshop specifically focused on the climate change and air pollution linkage:

• WG1: Combined strategies to control climate change and air pollution;
• WG2: Climate change and air pollution - a long term perspective; and
• WG4: Air pollution effects on ecosystems and health in a changing climate.

Almost every week, new studies are released correlating climate change and air pollution with atmospheric processes and environmental effects. Major urban air pollutants such as particulates and ozone are also important factors of climate change. The effect of aerosols on climate parameters have also been examined while changes in climate parameters such as temperature have been modeled and projected to influence the levels of air pollutants, e.g. ozone.