Format
BAQ 2008 will feature plenary sessions for all participants, along with sub-plenary sessions and working group sessions that allow for more interactive and in-depth discussions.
Plenary sessions: The opening session will feature welcome remarks and a keynote address on the topic of co-benefits of air quality. During the closing session the key outcomes of BAQ 2008 are summarized and awards are given to air quality champions. The additional plenary sessions will highlight the efforts by Thailand to improve urban air quality and what is needed to scale up air quality and climate change solutions in Asian cities.
Sub-plenary sessions: Sub-plenary sessions are planned around four streams, whereby the co-benefits approach to air quality and climate change will be a cross-cutting theme for all streams:
- General air quality management (AQM): air quality legislation; air quality monitoring and modeling, emission inventories; awareness and public participation; health, environmental and economic impacts of air pollution; and general AQM management and enforcement strategies.
- Transport: transport pollution inventories; cleaner vehicles and fuels; sustainable urban transport including bus rapid transit systems; pollution from marine sources; non-motorized transport; economic instruments to control transport pollution like congestion charges and road pricing; policies and standards.
- Industry and power plants: emission inventories from industry and power plants; air toxics with a focus on mercury; emission standards and policies; clean technologies; case studies from industry.
- Other air pollution sources: indoor air pollution, transboundary and hemispheric transport of air pollutants; greenhouse gas emissions.
Working group sessions: Working group sessions will be held during BAQ 2008, along the same four streams as sub-plenary sessions. These sessions will focus on specialized topics in smaller groups and thus provide opportunities for more in-depth discussions.
Country roundtables: CAI-Asia Local Networks and CAI-Asia members from countries with no local network will facilitate a roundtable discussion with national stakeholders on what has been done and what is needed to improve urban air quality in their specific countries. Recommendations from these roundtables will help to determine the priorities in AQM in Asian countries for 2009 and 2010.
Poster session and Exhibition: As in BAQ 2006, there will be a poster exhibition throughout the workshop directly outside the plenary hall. BAQ 2008 private sector sponsors, supporting organizations, and CAI-Asia Local Networks will have exhibition booths.
Networking and social events: There will be plenty of opportunities for BAQ 2008 participants to interact during networking and social events. BAQ 2008 will be preceded by a welcome reception hosted by the CAI-Asia Center on Tuesday evening. To introduce participants with the Thai culture and food, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration and the Pollution Control Board of Thailand will each host a dinner event on 12 and 13 November respectively. The Farewell Party on 14 November will provide a great opportunity for saying goodbye to old and new friends.
