Capacity building training programme on air pollution monitoring and management using remote sensing data

18 to 27 July 2023 | By invitation only

TBD, Bangkok, Thailand
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remote sensing

In February 2020, the Geostationary Environment Monitoring Spectrometer (GEMS) was launched by the Republic of Korea. It is the first of the three-satellite constellation which enables the hourly monitoring of air pollution levels for almost 20 countries in Asia. This marks a significant leap forward in the ability of scientists to monitor air pollution from space.

Previously, air quality monitoring has been mainly based upon in-situ measurements by Governments using ground-based air quality monitoring networks within their territories. However, ground-based monitoring has limitations since monitoring stations are mostly concentrated in densely populated cities with rigid installation requirements and very narrow spatial coverage. Furthermore, air pollution monitoring stations are often based in urban areas, and yet pollutants can be generated or travel great distances and affect not only rural areas but also on a transboundary basis. Satellite observations complement the ground-based networks by providing data over wider areas, which is particularly useful for regions where no surface monitors are installed, such as rural areas or countries with limited air pollution monitoring equipment or capacity. For example, the regular measurement of O3 and its precursors NOx and volatile organic compounds, along with particulate matter, SO2 and other pollutants, will improve the accuracy of air quality forecasts, top-down emission rates and understanding on long-range transport of air pollutants. This satellite-derived data will help evaluate and improve air quality and chemical transportation models, emissions inventories and allow the better production of hourly air pollution forecasts which are accessible to the public through a broad range of platforms and applications. It can fill in information gaps left by ground-data collected through monitoring stations to help evidence-based policy making to address not only national and local air quality, but transboundary pollution issues.

Agenda Item 1
General

The sixth session of the Committee on Transport is scheduled to be held from 12 to 13 November 2020.

The secretariat is monitoring the rapidly evolving situation with regard to the COVID-19 outbreak and is putting into place measures to mitigate public health risks associated with mass gatherings. The secretariat continues to receive guidance from the World Health Organization, the authorities of the host country of ESCAP and the United Nations Secretariat.

Decisions on the schedule and modality of the Committee session to ensure the safety and well-being of all participants will be communicated as soon as practicable.

Credentials

Delegations are kindly requested to submit letters of credentials to Mr. Weimin Ren, Director, Transport Division, ESCAP, United Nations Building, Rajadamnern Nok Avenue, Bangkok 10200, Thailand, Fax: (66-2) 288-1067, 288-3050, at their earliest convenience prior to 1 October 2018.. Letters of credential should be addressed to the Executive Secretary of the ESCAP and emailed to [email protected].

Members of delegations are kindly reminded to bring official identification with them, duly signed by the appropriate authorities of their respective Governments/Agencies/Organizations, and provide them to the Secretariat staff at the registration counter located on the ground floor of the UNCC along with a copy of the letter of credentials indicating their appointment to the delegation.

Registration and identification badges

Participants are requested to register and obtain a visitor’s badge with ID picture on the first day of the meeting, i.e. Monday, 19 November 2018 between 08.00 hours and 09.00 hours. This is done at the Registration Counter located on the ground floor of the UNCC. Participants who are not able to register during the time indicated above are requested to do so immediately upon their arrival at UNCC and before going to the conference room. This procedure is important for security reason and will also ensure that all participants’ names appear on the list of participants.

Online registration

In conformity with standard United Nations security procedures, all participants must complete a mandatory online registration at https://meetings.unescap.org/. Participants are encouraged to complete this procedure well in advance of the meeting and no later than 1 October 2018. To facilitate the process, participants are encouraged to submit their photo in advance.

For identification and security reasons, all participants are requested to wear their meeting badges at all times when on the United Nations compound, and also during the meeting and at social functions. The loss of a meeting badge should be communicated to the Conference Management Unit, located on the ground floor of the UNCC behind the registration counter, so that a new one can be issued immediately.

Communications

Mail intended for participants during the session should be addressed as follows:
(Name of delegate)
c/o Mr. Weimin Ren
Director
Transport Division
ESCAP, United Nations Building
Rajdamnern Nok Avenue
Bangkok 10200
Thailand
Fax: +66.2.2883022, +66.2.2881000
E-mail address: [email protected]

Meeting documents

The secretariat has adopted a paperless approach to meetings. As a result, participants are expected to get acquainted with all the meeting documents prior to the meeting. Should participants wish hard copies of the documents, they are expected to bring them to the meeting. These documents will be made available prior to the session at www.unescap.org/events/committee-transport-fifth-session

Participants wishing to circulate any papers or literature at the meeting are requested to consult staff from the secretariat servicing the meeting for the necessary arrangements.

Daily subsistence allowance

ESCAP does not provide financial assistance for participation in the 5th session of the Committee on Transport. However, it does cover the travel expenses of officials participating in the workshop on cross-border co-deployment of fibre optic infrastructure along road and rail networks. In that regard, the following shall apply:

Depending on which of the above applies, participants whose travel is sponsored (or partly sponsored) by ESCAP will receive a DSA to cover all costs associated with their participation in the meeting, including accommodation, meals and local transport while in Bangkok. A voucher to be cashed at the bank located on the ESCAP premises will be given to participants. Participants will receive their vouchers against submittal of a copy of their passports, copy of their air-tickets and the original boarding pass(es) for the flight(s) to Bangkok. To facilitate the issuance of vouchers, eligible participants are kindly requested to come with read-made copies of their passports. To date, the DSA for Bangkok is Thai Baht 7,150 (about US$ 216). Please note that this amount is subject to change without prior notice.

Participants who are unable to stay for the entire duration of the meeting are requested to inform the secretariat as soon as possible after their arrival so that the DSA can be adjusted accordingly.

In those cases where the participation costs are borne by ESCAP, the secretariat will provide only travel and DSA as expressed and will not assume responsibility for any other expenditures, including the following:

  1. You are representing your Government only at the 5th session of the Committee on Transport: ESCAP does not provide any financial support and participation is on a self-financing basis.
  2. You are representing your Government only at the workshop on co-deployment: ESCAP provides air-ticket and Daily Subsistence Allowance (DSA) for two nights (i.e. 21 and 22 November 2018 depending on flight schedule.
  3. You are representing your Government at both the 5th session of the Committee on Transport and the workshop on co-deployment: ESCAP provides air-ticket and DSA for two nights (i.e. 21 and 22 November 2018 depending on flight schedule and participants have to cover three nights on a self-financing basis (i.e. 18 to 20 November 2018).
    1. all expenses in the home country incidental to travel abroad, including expenditure for visa, medical examination, inoculations and other such miscellaneous items and internal travel to and from the airport of arrival and departure in the home country;
    2. salary and related allowances for the participants during the period of the meeting;
    3. cost incurred by participants in respect of travel insurance, accident insurance, medical bills or hospitalization fees in connection with attending the meeting;
    4. compensation in the event of death or disability of participants in connection with attending the meeting;
    5. any loss of or damage to personal property of participants while attending the meeting or losses or damages claimed by third parties as a result of any negligence on the part of the participants;
    6. any other expenses of a personal nature, not directly related to the purpose of the meeting.

for more information, please contact

Information and Communications Technology and Disaster Risk Reduction Division [email protected]
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