Environmental Governance for Controlling Urban Air Pollution Problems in Asia (Paper presented at National Workshop of Asian Public Intellectual Community, UI Depok: 8-8-2014)

ABSTRACT

 

      Asian cities have experienced astounding and  about half of the world most populous cities are loc in Asia, and by 2030, more than half of the world urban populations will live in Asian cities. Nearly two thirds of the estimated 800,000 deaths and 4.6 million lost years of healthy life worldwide caused by exposure to urban air pollution in 2000 occurred in the developing countries of Asia (HEI, 2010).Although richer cities may have better capacity to promote sustainable  urban development,but they do not always make them better in managing and controlling of urban air pollution problems. It depends on how well environmental governance carried out by all stakeholders (government, private sector, and society) in Asian countries. Therefore, the future of Asian countries lies in its cities which are experiencing huge growth in population and wealth. If urban growth is not managed well, cities will suffer from overcrowding, traffic congestion, worsening pollution, and pressures on infrastructure. Improvement of the capacity and quality of life in urban areas depends largely on whether cities can solve these urgent challenges through effective and efficient urban environmental governance. Finally, sustainable urban planning is a must by balancing of divergent, and sometimes incompatible, objectives which are not only for the benefits of such socio -economic considerations but also their potential adverse effects on air quality and traffic as well as human welfare. 

For full presentation material, please look at: https://www.academia.edu/8371258/Environmental_Governance_for_Controlling_Urban_Air_Pollution_Problems_in_Asia