Developing Regional Cooperation on Air Pollution in Northeast Asia Transferring lessons from Europe and North America, progress and future development SEI report May 2021 Gayoung Choi1 Johan Kuylenstierna2 Sue Kyoung Lee1 Eve Palmer2 Kevin Hicks2 Eunmi Lee1 Dukwoo Jun1 Jaee Nikam2 Diane Archer2 Christer Ågren3 * Martin Williams4 * 1 Green Technology Center 2 Stockholm Environment Institute 3 Air Pollution & Climate Secretariat 3 Imperial College London * Christer Ågren and Martin Williams contributed to Section 2 Stockholm Environment Institute Linnégatan 87D 115 23 Stockholm, Sweden Tel: +46 8 30 80 44 www.sei.org Author contact: Johan Kuylenstierna [email protected] Editor: Frances Dixon Layout: Richard Clay Cover photo: Air pollution in Seoul City, Republic of Korea © Patrick Foto / Getty This publication may be reproduced in whole or in part and in any form for educational or non-profit purposes, without special permission from the copyright holder(s) provided acknowledgement of the source is made. No use of this publication may be made for resale or other commercial purpose, without the written permission of the copyright holder(s). Copyright © May 2021 by Stockholm Environment Institute Stockholm Environment Institute is an international non-profit research and policy organization that tackles environment and development challenges. We connect science and decision-making to develop solutions for a sustainable future for all. Our approach is highly collaborative: stakeholder involvement is at the heart of our efforts to build capacity, strengthen institutions, and equip partners for the long term. Our work spans climate, water, air, and land-use issues, and integrates evidence and perspectives on governance, the economy, gender and human health. Across our eight centres in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas, we engage with policy processes, development action and business practice throughout the world. Green Technology Center 17th Floor, NamsanSquare Bldg., 173 Toegye-ro, Jung-gu, Seoul, 04554 / Republic of Korea Tel. +82.2.3393.3900 Fax. +82.2.3393.3919 Green Technology Center Korea (GTC) is a government-affiliated research institute under the Ministry of Science and ICT that fosters national green technology research and development policies and international cooperation on climate change. Since its establishment in 2013, GTC has enlarged its roles to grow as a leading research institute in the area of Green Technology policies, providing dedicated support to the development of national strategies in line with the UNFCCC’s technology sector, and operating a number of global cooperation activities connecting developed and developing countries. GTC continues to harness its expertise on the development of future-oriented policies and strengthen international cooperation for the continued advancement and transfer of green technologies, to achieve global goals such as carbon neutrality and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Acknowledgements We would like to acknowledge Jaeryoung Song's role in developing the concept for this report; So Young Lee and Jooyeon Moon who helped to review and edit Sections 3, 4 and 5; and the anonymous review for their valuable comments. In memory of Martin Williams - a champion of regional cooperation on air pollution who gave his insights and wisdom in the preparation of Chapter 2, but sadly passed away on 21 September 2020. He will be sorely missed. Contents Acronyms ................................................................................................................................................4 Summary ...........................................................................................................................5 1. Introduction ................................................................................................................7 2. A review of European and USA air pollution policy at urban, national and regional scales ..................................................................................................10 2.1 Development of urban and national air quality management in Europe and the USA ..............................................................................................................10 2.2 Development of cooperation on transboundary air pollution under the Convention on Long-Range Transport of Air Pollution (LRTAP) ........ 15 2.3 Technology advice by the Convention on LRTAP.................................................25 2.4 European Union legislation on air quality ..................................................................27 2.5 A focus on international shipping ................................................................................. 29 2.6 Social acceptance and the role of the media in developing air quality management approaches in Europe ...........................................................30 2.7 The linkages between air pollution and climate change and implications for policy development ........................................................................... 34 2.8 Transferring the European approaches to South Asia and Southern Africa ............................................................................................................................................. 36 2.9 Conclusions on regional cooperation on air pollution .......................................37 3. Regional cooperation on air pollution in Northeast Asia .............................. 38 3.1 National programmes to address air pollution ...................................................... 38 3.2 A review of cooperation frameworks and programmes related to transboundary air pollution in Northeast Asia ....................................................... 41 3.3 A comparison of cooperation frameworks related to air pollution in Northeast Asia .......................................................................................................................... 51 3.4 Summary .....................................................................................................................................54 4. Strategies for international cooperation to solve air pollution in Northeast Asia ......................................................................................................... 56 4.1 Developing consensus among scientific communities ..................................... 56 4.2 Sharing best practice and assessment of activities and measures in China, Japan and Korea ..................................................................................................57 4.3 Promoting technology cooperation in Northeast Asia ..................................... 58 5. Conclusions ...............................................................................................................60 5.1 Next steps ..................................................................................................................................60 References ..................................................................................................................... 62 4 Stockholm Environment Institute Acronyms MOEK Ministry of Environment in Korea AATHP ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution MOU memorandum of understanding AIT Asian Institute of Technology MEIC Multi-resolution Emission Inventory for China APCAP Asia Pacific Clean Air Partnership MEP Ministry of Environmental Protection AQA Air Quality Agreement NCCA National Council of Climate and Air quality ASAM Abatement Strategies Assessment Model NEACAP North-East Asia Clean Air Partnership ASEAN Association of Southeast Asian Nations NEASPEC North-East Asian Sub-regional Programme for BAT Best Available Techniques Environmental Cooperation BREF Best Reference NEC National Emission Ceilings CAPSS Clean Air Policy Support System NGO Non-Governmental Organization CASM Coordinated Abatement Strategy Model NIER National Institute of Environmental Research CCAC Climate and Clean Air Coalition OAPMP Online Air Pollution Monitoring Platform CERL Central Electricity Research Laboratory OECD Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development CREATE Comprehensive Regional Emissions inventory for PHE Public Health England Atmospheric Transport Experiments PM particulate matter Convention PPP Public-Private Partnership on LRTAP Convention on Long-Range Transboundary Air Pollution RAINS Regional Air Pollution Information and Simulation EANET Acid Deposition Monitoring Network in East Asia RAPIDC Regional Air Pollution in Developing Countries EEA European Environment Agency REAS Regional Emission inventory in Asia EGTEI Expert Group on Techno-Economic Issues SACEP South Asia Cooperative Environment Programme EIPPCB European Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control SCR Selective Catalytic Reduction Bureau SECAs Sulphur Emission Control Areas EMEP European Monitoring and Evaluation Programme SEI Stockholm Environment Institute FGD Flue Gas Desulphurization SIDA Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency GAINS Greenhouse Gas and Air Pollution Interactions and SLCP Short-lived Climate Pollutants Synergies SNAP Supporting National Action and Planning GTC Green Technology Center SOM Senior Officials Meeting HLA High Level Assembly SPC Science and Policy Committee HTAP Hemispheric Transport of Air Pollution SWAP Surface Water Acidification Programme IAM Integrated Assessment Modelling TC Technical Centres ICT Information and Communication Technology TFTEI Task Force on Techno-Economic Issues IED Industrial Emissions