Daniele Ponzi Asian Development Bank Better Air Quality (BAQ) 2004 6-8 December, 2004 Agra, India

1. A Regional Approach to Prevention and Control of Dust and Sandstorms in Northeast Asia: Air Quality Implications Daniele Ponzi Asian Development Bank Better Air Quality (BAQ) 2004 6-8 December, 2004 Agra, India

2. DSS: The Problem • Dust and sandstorms (DSS) is a serious regional environmental problem in Northeast Asia. • DSS mainly involves strong winds that blow a large quantity of dust and fine sands away from the ground, carry them over a long distance and cause severe impacts • The major sources of DSS in the region are the desert and semi-desert areas of PRC and Mongolia. • DSS is a natural phenomenon that has been intensified by human interventions.

3. DSS: The Problem (2) • During the last decades DSS frequency has increased, geographic coverage expanded and damage intensity accelerated. • Dust and sandstorms in North East Asia affect air quality , including urban air quality, over large areas.

4. Origin of the Project • Request for ADB technical assistance from PRC and Mongolia in addressing problem of sand and dust storms • Parallel initiative jointly promoted by UNEP, UNESCAP and UNCCD with financing from GEF • Request from the four participating countries for an integrated intervention • ADB-GEF TA project “Prevention and Control of Dust and Sandstorms in Northeastasia” approved in December 2002.

5. Objectives and Outputs • Key Objective: to promote regional cooperation for the prevention and control of DSS • Two main outputs: • An Initial institutional framework for regional cooperation on DSS • A Regional Master Plan

6. The Regional Master Plan: two key components • A Phased Program to Establish a Regional DSS Monitoring and Early Warning Network in Northeast Asia • An Investment Strategy to Strengthen Mitigation Measures to Address DSS

7. Institutional Arrangements • Participating Parties • PRC, Japan, ROK, Mongolia • ADB, UNEP, UNESCAP, UNCCD •Steering Committee •Technical Committees • Regional cooperation mechanism • Regional monitoring and early warning network • Investment strategy for mitigation measures

8. Executing Agency Steering Committee Project Secretariat Technical Committees Consultants/National Experts TA Recipient Countries Operational Structure

9. Implementation Plan

10. Regional Monitoring and Early Warning Network Major Recommendations: • A 3 layer hierarchy network of monitoring stations across the four (4) countries for DSS monitoring and data sharing through national focal points. • A basket of monitoring indicators including visibility, PM10-TSP, and LIDAR based indicators for monitoring and data verification to improve the accuracy of DSS simulation and forecasting. • A phased program for network development and the capacity-building over short-medium term.

11. Investment Strategy Recommended Approach: • Address DSS through Piloting Demonstration Projects Demonstration Projects Recommended: • Four (4) in PRC • Four (4) in Mongolia • One (1) Joint Project across the Border of PRC and the Mongolia

12. Special Challenges Identified Prior to scaling up the experiences gained through demonstration projects: • The need to have systematic quantitative analysis on relationship between land degradation and the occurrence and severity of DSS. • The need to have comparative analysis and evaluation of the cost-effectiveness among the various mitigation measures.

13. Significance of Program • Program addresses area source of pollution in a comprehensive manner – urban air pollution substantively affected by DSS. • Emphasis is on early warning through monitoring system and the preparation of an investment strategy with pilot projects. • One of the very few regional (air quality management) programs in North East Asia that go beyond monitoring.