Over 600 million people in Southeast Asia (SEA) face the environmental and health consequences of climate change. As a region on the frontlines of climate change and its worsening health impacts, Southeast Asia is experiencing rising temperatures, sea levels, and extreme weather events that threaten disease patterns, food and water security, and already strained health systems.
Despite the urgency of climate change, many countries overlook air pollution in their adaptation and resilience plans. Yet, improving air quality can significantly strengthen climate and health strategies. Southeast Asian nations should integrate ambitious air quality policies to enhance public health and regional resilience.
The Clean Air Fund supports governments, civil society, researchers, funders, and businesses in building a clean air future by identifying three key measures Southeast Asian countries can adopt to reduce air pollution while advancing climate and health resilience.
- Clean Transportation
- Air quality early warning systems
- Air pollution clinics
- Testing solutions via feasibility pilots, which builds evidence of what works and supports adoption at a larger scale.
- Advocating for ‘what works’ by targeting policymakers and other key stakeholders to secure political support and mobilise the finance needed.
- Supporting local campaigns and movements that have climate and health goals at their core.
- Helping to build knowledge-sharing networks and platforms that can reach across and beyond the SEA region.
- Targeting other major emitting sectors, such as waste and agriculture to support relevant adaptation measures.
Transport is a major air pollution source for many major cities in SEA. While reducing emissions remains crucial to support climate and health improvements, adaptation measures can minimise the impact of transport-related pollution. Effective adaptation of transport supports communities’ health, safety and resilience, while mitigating climate impacts, improving air quality and strengthening local economies.
Manila is embracing green transportation with electric motorbikes and bicycles, while existing ‘jeepneys’ (public transport vehicles) are being converted into electric vehicles. Bangkok is introducing electric boats for water travel and encouraging student bike usage to promote environmental awareness on campus. Jakarta is focusing on designated bike lanes and the extensive use of rapid train and bus transit systems, providing lower-cost and greener options for transportation.
Poor air quality is often exacerbated by a lack of reliable data that can provide alerts to help people avoid the worst air pollution. Tools exist to help solve this problem and can be adopted across SEA cities.
Clean Air Fund has been working with World Resources Institute’s Ross Center for Sustainable Cities to establish CanAIRy Alert, which provides reliable and accessible air quality data to resource-constrained cities.
CanAIRy Alert equips urban air quality practitioners from the Global South with forecasting and analytical tools to better understand sources of local air pollution. By adapting these tools to their context, cities can provide warnings to the public ahead of peak pollution events, which will help residents reduce their exposure. Following a successful roll-out in several cities globally, CanAIRy is being implemented in SEA, including Jakarta, to support air quality forecasting and response.
In 2023, 10 million people in Thailand sought treatment for pollution-related illnesses. Bangkok often experiences some of the worst air quality in the country, which is responsible for over 5,000 premature deaths a year and significant losses to the city’s economy.
In response, the city’s Health Department set up air pollution clinics to offer treatment to people suffering respiratory illness during extended periods of poor air quality and Bangkok’s smog season. The clinics also help educate communities about the health risks of air pollution and how best to limit their exposure. Air pollution clinics are replicable, with one launched in London that specialises in supporting children with asthma.
How can philanthropy support these measures?
To be effective, interventions must go hand in hand with pollution reduction, addressing root causes—not just symptoms. However, lasting impact requires all stakeholders to work together to combat air pollution.
Philanthropy can drive pollution reduction and climate adaptation by:
Call to Action
Air pollution is the largest external threat to public health worldwide, causing respiratory diseases, reducing life expectancy, and contributing to climate change. But together, we can change this. Tackling air pollution requires collaboration across governments, businesses, and communities to advance policies that prioritize clean air and public health. For example, the global Breathe Cities initiative is supporting cities, including Bangkok and Jakarta, to cut their air pollution emissions by 30%.
For lasting impact, philanthropy must work alongside other funders, governments, and financial institutions to strengthen climate and health strategies across the region and drive systemic change toward a cleaner, healthier future.
