Air pollution and management: a brief introduction

The deteriorating quality of air, transboundary haze pollution and global climate change are the major problems affecting the atmospheric ecosystem. Air quality has deteriorated as a result of increasing traffic congestion, rapid industrialization and increased energy consumption. Tackling air pollution in the Asia and Pacific region is of utmost urgency, and every aspect mitigating air pollution should be assessed and policy options should be taken with the purpose of preventing future harms. Air quality monitoring is the first tranche to which countries should place adequate emphasis on. The monitoring of certain pollutants, , such as Ozone (O3), Nitrogen Oxides (NOx), Sulphur Dioxide (SO2), Carbon Monoxide (CO), Particulate Matter (PM), and others are imperative to fully understanding how and where to enact air pollution mitigation policies.The study and differentiation of long-lived and short-lived climate pollutants would also aid in this endeavour. Urban air pollution should be another area of emphasis for countries, as they consume 78 percent of the world’s energy and produce more than 60 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) while only accounting for less than 2 per cent of the earth’s surface. Reducing vehicle emissions is imperative, and sustainable urban development in every sector, especially in waste management, should be rigorously pursued.