Enhancing Air Quality and Public Health in ASEAN with the CASA Project
BANDUNG, itb.ac.id - Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB), in collaboration with the Project Management Unit (PMU) of Seoul National University (SNU), hosted a technical meeting for the Clean Air for Sustainable ASEAN (CASA) project on Saturday-Sunday (June 13-14, 2024) at ITB Jakarta Campus, Graha Irama Building, Kuningan, South Jakarta.
The meeting was attended by representatives from various ASEAN countries, as well as delegates from the ASEAN Secretariat and the ASEAN-Korean Program Management Team (AKPMT).
CASA is a four-year project aimed at supporting ASEAN Member States (AMS) in reducing air pollution and its adverse health effects through political, scientific, and technical measures.
According to the ASEAN-Korea Cooperation Fund website, the project will focus on four main outcomes. The first outcome is to enhance understanding of the sources and impacts of air pollution on health.
AMS will identify major sources of air pollutants in their selected large cities by understanding the composition of particulate matter and gases.
The second outcome is to improve access to information on air pollution statistics. The third outcome is to enhance AMS readiness and capacity to address air pollution. Lastly, the fourth outcome is to develop regional policies in each ASEAN country to address air pollution and promote clean air.
On the first day of the technical meeting, participants presented updates on the recent progress of each country regarding the project. Additionally, participants exchanged views, discussed progress details, and shared challenges faced by each country during the project.
On the second day, PMU researchers delivered presentations and provided deeper insights into the CASA project.
Professor Puji Lestari, Ph.D., from the Air and Waste Management Expert Group (KK) at the Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering (FTSL) ITB, stated that the CASA project aims to enhance air quality and public health in Indonesia.
"One of CASA's primary focuses is to improve the air quality monitoring system in ASEAN countries. SNU has donated an air quality monitoring system to Indonesia, and ITB will be responsible for its management," she said.
The presence of CASA is expected to serve as an effective platform for cooperation among ASEAN countries in addressing air pollution. With strong cooperation and commitment from all parties involved, it is hoped that air quality in the ASEAN region will improve, thereby enhancing public health protection.
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