Asia Blue Skies Program

The Asia Blue Skies Program aims to implement science-based, stakeholder-driven air quality management systems in two high-impact cities. 

In Manila, Philippines, a science-based clean air action plan was developed and served as a foundation for targeted interventions. Priority measures implemented with the city government addressed key emission sources and included: 

• Manila City government’s vehicle fleet preventive maintenance system  

• Electric mobility adoption for public transport 

• Community based-solid waste management 

• Hospital practices impacting indoor air quality  

These actions were supported by capacity-building activities, technical discussions, air quality communication planning and outreach efforts. By Year 4 (2023 – 2024), Manila demonstrated sustained commitment through improvements in its vehicle maintenance system, integration of air quality and climate functions, expanded monitoring networks, and public engagement on air quality issues. 

In Delhi, India, Clean Air Asia developed the Advancing Better Air Quality with Clean Construction toolkit in 2021, in collaboration with the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC). The toolkit provides practical guidance on dust control measures, best practices, and site monitoring checklists for construction professionals. It promotes sustainable construction practices, aligns with government guidelines, and aims to mitigate construction-related air pollution. 

From 2022 to 2023, the Clean Construction Management Plan (CCMP) was developed to operationalize the toolkit. The CCMP includes terms of reference, tender clauses, and monitoring tools for construction projects. Comprehensive training materials, including videos, were created to build stakeholder capacity. 

In 2023, DPCC institutionalized the CCMP by issuing advisories for its inclusion in tender processes. Training sessions on clean construction practices were conducted, engaging 175 professionals. These efforts mark significant progress in embedding clean construction principles into Delhi’s infrastructure development. 

Program goal: The overall program goal continues to be the delivery of air quality solutions to cities by mainstreaming science-based air quality management in urban development. 

Objectives: 

• Year 1: To build the capacity of two Asian cities in the development and update of science-based clean air action plans to include/strengthen air quality management in urban development in the Asian region through peer-to-peer learning 

• Years 2 and 3: To support two Asian cities in advancing air quality mitigation in sector specific plans and in operationalizing a monitoring and evaluation process to track progress vis-à-vis air quality targets 

• Years 4 and 5: To scale up solutions in two Asian cities to achieve greater emission reductions, improve effectiveness and efficiency of measures, as well as to respond to evolving air quality management needs of the cities