📋 Tender Overview
Southeast Asia experiences very harmful periods of air pollution every year causing health, environment and economic damage. Switzerland, Germany and France are joining forces to tackle sources of air pollution and global warming together in Southeast Asia. The project will identify and scale innovative solutions for reducing air and climate pollutants and provide Swiss know-how and experiences on clean air to support joint action, with a special focus on the Lower Mekong region.
Country/region Topic Period Budget
Asia
Climate change and environment
Biosphere protection
01.04.2025 - 31.03.2028
CHF 2’000’000
The project in brief
Background Over the years, air quality in the Mekong region has significantly worsened. Due to air pollution’s transboundary nature, a coordinated ASEAN-wide approach is needed. As a heavily affected region, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos were selected to implement demonstrations and strengthen collaboration. ASEAN Member States have repeatedly expressed strong political will to address air pollution over the past years.
Objectives The project aims to reduce the emissions of Short-Lived Climate Pollutants (SLCPs) in the ASEAN region to protect human health, climate and biodiversity by catalyzing innovative, scalable and locally tested solutions and by strengthening political frameworks, transboundary collaboration and awareness, with a special focus on the Lower Mekong Subregion.
Target groups The population in proximity of the demonstration sites will benefit the most from better air quality. Increased transboundary collaboration, commitment and action to reduce air pollution in the Lower Mekong region (Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam) has the potential to improve the quality of life of the wider population in the target region: around 300 million people are impacted by air pollution in the Lower Mekong countries, including 200 million rural residents where exposure exceeds World Health Organisation guidelines frequently by more than tenfold.
Medium-term outcomes
ASEAN is supported in developing key approaches to reducing emissions of short-lived climate pollutants
Implementation-oriented approaches to SLCP mitigation have been strengthened in the Mekong riparian states, taking gender aspects into account
The ASEAN-wide exchange of experience on air pollution prevention solutions is strengthened based on country-specific demonstration pilots for SLCP mitigation
Results Expected results: 1.1 Strategic and technical SLCP-related inputs to implement ASEAN Haze Free Roadmap 1.2 Support for SLCP mitigation through improved access to finance aligned with ASEAN Investment Framework for Haze-Free Sustainable Land Management (AIF-HFSLM) 2.1 Supporting the Greater Mekong Subregion-wide cooperation on SLCP mitigation through roundtables, joint capacity development, knowledge transfer, etc. 2.2 Identification and/or support of appropriate cross-border SLCP mitigation approaches and programs 2.3 Dis
