International Clean Air Dialogue

About the event

Air pollution is one of the most pressing environmental and health challenges globally, contributing to millions of premature deaths each year and significant economic and environmental impacts.

Addressing air pollution also provides important opportunities for climate action. Pollutants including methane and black carbon are powerful short-lived climate pollutants, while improved air quality can deliver benefits for health, ecosystems, food security and economic development.

Despite growing scientific evidence and strengthened policy initiatives, progress on air quality remains uneven across regions. As urbanisation, industrialisation and energy demand continue to grow, stronger links are needed between science, policy, legislation and innovation.

The International Clean Air Dialogue will bring together policymakers, experts and other stakeholders from across regions to exchange knowledge and experience, strengthen cooperation and explore effective approaches to air pollution management.

The Dialogue is organized within the framework of the UNECE Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution and will build on recent international discussions and initiatives on clean air.

Objectives

The International Clean Air Dialogue aims to:

• raise awareness and facilitate the exchange of perspectives on trends, emerging issues and key challenges in air pollution policy;
• share experiences and approaches to addressing air pollution, including policies, regulatory frameworks and technical solutions, as well as their potential climate co-benefits; and
• encourage dialogue and mutual learning among stakeholders across sectors and regions on air quality monitoring, management and governance.

Participants

The Dialogue will bring together national representatives from different regions, international organisations, academia, research institutions and civil society organisations.

Agenda

Wednesday, 23 September 2026

09:00–09:30 | Registration

09:30–10:00 | Opening remarks

• Representative from the Government of Türkiye
• Liliana Annovazzi-Jakab, Chief of the Forests and Air Section, Environment and Forests Division, UNECE
• Tom Delrue, Head of the UN Resident Coordinator Office in Türkiye

10:00–11:00 | Session 1 – Setting the scene: Assessing the global landscape of trends in air pollution and air quality management

The session will provide a high-level overview of global and regional air quality trends, emerging challenges and impacts on human health and the environment, while exploring linkages between air pollution and climate change and evolving policy approaches.

Moderator: Albena Karadjova, Secretary, Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution, UNECE

Keynotes

• Stefan Åström, Managing Director, Anthesis Sweden and Co-Chair, Task Force for International Cooperation on Air Pollution
• Kimber Scavo, Independent air quality expert

11:00–11:15 | Coffee break

11:15–12:30 | Panel discussion – Advancing clean air action: recent initiatives and policy developments

The discussion will showcase recent initiatives and policy developments supporting clean air, share lessons from implementation and identify opportunities for stronger international coordination.

Panelists

• Soraya Smaoun, Coordinator, Air Quality, UNEP
• Sophie Gumy, Technical Officer, Air Quality and Health, WHO
• Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) Secretariat
• John Salter, Head of International Air Quality Team, United Kingdom and Co-Chair, Task Force for International Cooperation on Air Pollution

12:30–13:30 | Lunch

13:30–15:00 | Session 2 – Bridging science and policy: advancing evidence-based clean air solutions

This session will explore how stronger science–policy interfaces can support effective air quality management and evidence-based policymaking.

Moderator: Stefan Åström, Managing Director, Anthesis Sweden and Co-Chair, Task Force for International Cooperation on Air Pollution

Panelists

• Irde Çetintürk Gürtepe, Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change, Türkiye
• Paul Ruyssenars, Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, The Netherlands
• Paolo Laj, World Meteorological Organization
• Jingnan Hu, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, China
• Kenza Khomsi, General Directorate of Meteorology, Morocco
• Deo Okure, AirQo
• Mohammed Dighriri, National Center for Environmental Compliance, Saudi Arabia

15:00–15:30 | Coffee break

15:30–17:00 | Session 3 – Development and implementation of regional frameworks to address air pollution: successes and challenges

The session will examine international and regional mechanisms addressing air pollution, identifying achievements, challenges, areas for cooperation and lessons for future clean air initiatives.

Moderator: Beatriz Cardenas, Air Quality Director, World Resources Institute, Mexico

Panelists

• Lorenzo Santucci, UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific
• Siwaporn Rungsiyanon, Network Center for EANET / Asia Center for Air Pollution Research
• Thaianne Resende, Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, Brazil
• Dominique Pritula, Environment and Climate Change Canada
• Patience Gwaze, Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, South Africa
• Feruz Safarov, National Committee on Ecology and Climate Change of Uzbekistan, or another Representative of Uzbekistan (TBC)
• Turki M. A. Habeebullah, National Center for Meteorology, Saudi Arabia

17:00–17:15 | Summary of Day 1 and closing

Liliana Annovazzi-Jakab, UNECE

18:30–21:00 | Dinner and cultural event

Thursday, 24 September 2026

09:00–09:15 | Brief recap of Day 1

Liliana Annovazzi-Jakab, UNECE

09:15–10:45 | Session 4 – Spotlight on transport: one sector, many solutions

The session will explore practical, policy-driven approaches to reducing transport emissions, implementation challenges and the role of international cooperation in accelerating effective air quality measures.

Moderator: Jane Akumu, Programme Officer, Sustainable Mobility Unit, UNEP (TBC)

Panelists

• Representative from Türkiye
• Bert Fabian, Asian Development Bank
• Francois Cuenot, UNECE
• Jean-Marc André and Gabriel Krenzer, CITEPA
• Gerry Opondo, Environmental Compliance Institute

10:45–11:00 | Coffee break

11:00–12:30 | Session 5 – Unlocking investments for clean air

The session will examine barriers to scaling air quality finance and practical approaches for mobilising and aligning public, private and philanthropic resources.

Moderator: Soraya Smaoun, Coordinator, Air Quality, UNEP (TBC)

Panelists

• Rosie Childs, Clean Air Fund
• Christa Hasenkopf, Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago / EPIC Air Quality Fund
• Sayantan Sarkar, World Bank
• Scarlett Quinn-Savory, Wellcome Trust
• Ashish Tiwari, International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development

12:30–13:30 | Lunch

13:30–15:00 | Session 6 – Communicating air quality information to the public: from data to action

The session will explore approaches to communicating air quality information to non-expert audiences, improving public understanding of air quality data and supporting policy action, behaviour change and accountability.

Moderators: Tomas Marques and Ekaterina Perfiliyeva, UNEP Europe Office

Presentations

• Elisa Vasquez, UNEP
• Dorota Jarosinska, WHO European Centre for Environment and Health (TBC)
• Zhuldyz Saulebekova, Almaty Air Initiative

The session will also include small group discussions and a plenary summary.

15:00–15:15 | Coffee break

15:15–16:45 | Session 7 – AQMx Workshop

16:45–17:15 | Session 8 – Key takeaways for advancing air quality management

This session will consolidate the main insights and lessons from the Dialogue and identify practical takeaways for strengthening air quality policies, cooperation and implementation across different national and regional contexts.

Moderator: Liliana Annovazzi-Jakab, UNECE

17:15–17:30 | Closing

Representative from the Government of Türkiye

Organizers and partners

The International Clean Air Dialogue is organized by UNECE, within the framework of the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution, in cooperation with the Convention’s Task Force for International Cooperation on Air Pollution, UNEP, the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) and the Government of Türkiye.

Financial support for the event is provided by the European Union, Türkiye, the United Kingdom and the United Nations Development Account 16th tranche.