A three-day international workshop to promote better air quality in Asian and Pacific Rim cities has concluded here with 650 experts from over 35 countries committing to bring down pollution levels in their respective regions.
The conference, which concluded Thursday, saw participants promising to initiate measures to reduce air pollution from vehicles, encourage environment-friendly road design and improve urban transport.
The participants, including government officials, activists, corporates and academics, were of the view that climate change and the trans-boundary movement of air pollution would become major issues.
"The success of the conference is evident from the fact that over the last four years, the number of participants, presenters and the quality of presentations has improved," said Cornie Huizenga from CAI-Asia (Clean Air Initiative for Asian Cities).
The next conference will be in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, in September 2006.
"CAI-Asia will work closely with the countries involved to help them achieve their stated objectives before the next conference," Huizenga said.
Better Air Quality 2004 was co-hosted by CAI-Asia and India's ministry of environment and forests, the Central Pollution Control Board and the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers.
--Indo-Asian News Service