Awareness-raising events set to tackle air pollution in Laos

A series of events on sustainable development took place on November 10-11 aiming to raise awareness and inspire a collective effort to address air pollution in Laos.
The two-day programme was organised by the French Research Institute for Sustainable Development in Laos, in collaboration with the Research Institute for Science and Innovation (RISI) of the Ministry of Education and Sports, the European Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Laos (ECCIL EURO Cham) and the Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF).
Senior researchers from the French Research Institute for Sustainable Development, Dr Karine Peyronnie, Dr Xavier Mari and Dr Eric Deharo and Dr Oudomphone Insisiengmay of the Research Institute for Science and Innovation attended the events.
The programme aimed to raise awareness on the issue of air pollution and to help develop education through mediation and scientific argumentation in the search for solutions.
The objective was to illustrate. through different activities, the work in progress, to understand, monitor and develop technologies and approaches to overcome this major challenge, which is growing in Laos.
Funded by the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs through a solidarity fund for innovative projects (FSPI), the project ‘One Health in practice in South-East Asia (OHSEA)’ is piloted by French institutions such as the Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD), the International Cooperation Centre in Agronomy Research and Development (CIRAD) and the National Centre of Scientific Research (CNRS).
Its goal is the understanding of the mechanisms of emergent or re-emergent diseases, in order to prevent them. OHSEA aims to promote a multidisciplinary approach to health concerns by highlighting the close links between human health, animal health and global ecology.
IRD entrusted the management of Component 1 of this project to the Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF) – Asia-Pacific. Under this component, 11 projects have been selected and are monitored by AUF in three countries: four projects in Cambodia; four in Laos and three in Vietnam.

The Environmental impact and Sustainable Economic Development forum and the Debate on Air Pollution and its Solutions in Laos were opened by Minister of Education and Sports, Assoc. Prof Dr Phouth Simmalavong; Ambassador of France to Laos, Ms Siv-Leng Chhuor; and President Director General of the French Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD), Dr Valérie Verdier.
The events welcomed more than 200 participants from the business community and students and featured a wide range of researchers, scientists, business leaders, EuroCham members, academics from Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam as speakers, panellists, moderators and participants including the World Bank, EU, the Natural Resources and Environment Research Institute of the Ministry of National Resources and Environment, Swiss Contact, FAO, Wildlife Conservation Society, Centre for Natural Resources and Environment of Cambodia Development Resource Institute (CDRI), National University of Laos (teachers and students from the Faculty of Law and Political Sciences, Faculty of Architecture, Faculty of Engineering, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Economics and Business Management and Faculty of Social Sciences), UNIDO, Zero Waste Laos, SilviCarbon, Burapha, Coca-Cola, and Eurocham Vietnam, who contributed their experience, research, insights end best practices in their respective domain of expertise.
The Environmental Impact and Sustainable Economic Development Forum, led by Thiane Khamvongsa, Executive Director of the European Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Laos, consisted of four panel discussions.
These addressed themes relating to economic development and pollution in the region, as part of ECCIL EuroCham’s mission to encourage the business community to recognise the importance of creating harmony and balance between economic development and environmental sustainability and of integrating environmental considerations into the economic development planning process.

The Debate on Air Pollution and its Solutions in Laos ended with the exhibition “Black Carbon: the dark side of human activity” on air pollution in the Asean region developed in the framework of an International Research Network (IRN SOOT SEA: Impact of Black Carbon in Southeast Asia) and was led by Dr Xavier Mari, with a contribution from Dr Olivier Evrard, senior researchers at IRD.
The exhibition was an overview of what is known about anthropogenic air pollution by fine particles and described the health, climate, environmental and socio-political issues linked to this pollution for Southeast Asia as a whole.
On November 11, subsequent trainings organised by ECCIL EuroCham welcomed over 100 participants with workshops on practical approaches in circular economy and pollution-related policy development and implementation, a half-day training on waste management covering and a half day training on energy efficiency.
The specific aim of these trainings was for participants to become aware of the importance of addressing environmental and climate change considerations in corporate strategies and practices, as well as to realise the benefits and challenges of integrating environmental and climate change in development planning and budgetary processes.

By Advertorial Desk
 (Latest Update November 16, 2022)