Together for Clean Air: USAID Partners to Improve Air Quality Across Southeast Asia

a group of scientists holding tools
Scientists from Thailand and Laos learn about technology and tools to monitor air quality. Credit: Nancy Rothgerber, USAID

Cross-posted from USAID Medium

In Southeast Asia, air pollution levels are often three to four times higher than World Health Organization guidelines, impacting millions. Poor air quality contributes to 650,000 premature deaths across the region each year.

USAID is committed to improving air quality by addressing transboundary pollution and promoting cleaner practices.

In line with the International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies — and this year’s theme of “Together for Clean Air” — USAID’s regional partnerships are expanding locally led solutions for healthier air and stronger communities across Southeast Asia.

Nion Sirimongkollertkul with a group of Blue School students
Nion Sirimongkollertkul, left, with a group of Blue School students. Credit: Yada Watanapornmongkol, World Wide Fund for Nature

Improving Education

Since 2021, USAID has supported the Blue School program to teach students at more than 400 schools across Thailand about the science behind air quality measurements, how they can protect themselves from unhealthy pollution, and what they can do to take action for clean air.

To scale up the initiative, USAID and the World Wide Fund for Nature began collaborating with civil society organization Fulfill in 2023 to expand the network of schools to two additional Southeast Asian countries.

“Our partnership with USAID encompasses cross-border dimensions and encourages collaborative efforts among Mekong countries. It raises awareness, promotes learning across the Mekong, and facilitates joint problem-solving for a sustainable future,” said Nion Sirimongkollertkul, a scientist at Rajamangala University of Technology Lanna in Chiang Rai, Thailand, who represents a group of civil society organizations engaged in air quality issues.

Last month at the Mekong Forum, a regional event on digital innovations that drive development progress, Mekong for the Future and Fulfill previewed a new Blue School cell phone app. Thanks to the app, which aims to reach more than 1,000 users each year, students across Southeast Asia can access tools and information on how air quality is linked to their health and wellbeing, and build a network for collective action that will help everyone breathe easier.

Linda McElroy visiting a student booth at the Climate Action Collaboration Launch event
Linda McElroy, Deputy Mission Director of USAID’s Regional Development Mission for Asia, visits a student booth at the Climate Action Collaboration Launch event held at the Stock Exchange of Thailand in February 2024. Credit: Kwanta Norkum, USAID

Tracking Health Problems

Southeast Asian healthcare clinics, doctors, and scientists are integrating cutting-edge data from SERVIR Southeast Asia — a USAID-NASA partnership with the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center — into existing databases that track health problems often associated with poor air quality, including respiratory illnesses like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

For example, Chiang Mai University epidemiologists are studying the relationship between air pollution levels and patient outcomes. In 2024, USAID is partnering with the university in northern Thailand to use satellite data and geospatial analytics to forecast drivers of air pollution like carbon dioxide levels, which also contribute to climate change, and integrate this information with health data — allowing researchers to study how climate change impacts health.

Ngeunmany Khamphoumy and other Lao and Thai scientists speaking in a group
Ngeunmany Khamphoumy, right, and other Lao and Thai scientists share knowledge about air quality monitoring at a remote air quality measuring station in Rayong, Thailand. Credit: Nancy Rothgerber, USAID

Fostering Regional Cooperation

Since air pollution does not stop at a national border, USAID is fostering regional cooperation between Southeast Asian countries to tackle this transboundary environmental challenge.

Through a partnership with the Thailand International Cooperation Agency, USAID leverages the expertise of Thailand’s Pollution Control Department, along with SERVIR Southeast Asia tools and data, to help scientists in Laos expand and strengthen their own national air quality monitoring systems, while building collaboration among Lower Mekong countries to share data and coordinate responses to transboundary haze pollution.

Since 2023, USAID and the Thailand International Cooperation Agency have invested in regional exchanges engaging dozens of Lao scientists and decision makers in increased trilateral cooperation for cleaner air.

“I observed how Thailand’s Pollution Control Department effectively disseminates air quality information through various channels, including social media, news outlets, radio, and local public announcements. I also learned critical strategies for preparing and responding to emergency situations, such as managing chemical substance leaks from factories,” said Ngeunmany Khamphoumy, a technical officer from Lao PDR’s Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment.

“My institution can leverage the knowledge to assess the environmental impacts caused by industrial factories in Lao PDR, and provide technical guidance to these factories on controlling emissions.”

Across Southeast Asia, USAID is partnering with schools, clinics, and governments for better air quality and healthier communities.

Learn more about USAID’s work addressing air pollution around the globe here.

About the Author

Nancy Rothgerber is a Development Outreach and Communications Specialist with USAID’s Regional Development Mission for Asia.