Advancing regional capacity: KLINOVA supports ASEAN on air quality improvement

This capacity building initiative forms part of the Air Quality Improvement Program in ASEAN (AQIP), funded by the Agence Française de Développement (AFD) and implemented by Expertise France (EF). AQIP aims to strengthen national capacities across ASEAN Member States (AMS) to design and implement effective policies, particularly those that engage private sector actors in reducing emissions. The program is delivered in close collaboration with Citepa (France) and KLINOVA.

Within the workshop, KLINOVA played a leading role in technical sessions on transport and mobile sources, sharing international insights and ASEAN-specific case studies, and facilitating discussions on policy gaps and solutions. The sessions highlighted common barriers to private sector engagement—such as high upfront costs, limited technical expertise, and fragmented policy frameworks—and explored enabling policy instruments to transform those challenges into opportunities.

Representing KLINOVA, Dr. Nguyen Phuong Nam, General Director, participated as an international specialist alongside experts from Citepa. Dr. Nam emphasized: “ASEAN countries face similar challenges, but with the right enabling policies, private sector engagement can become a real driver of cleaner air and climate action. Our role is to bridge the gap between policy and practice—helping countries and businesses translate commitments into measurable impact.”

Dr. Nguyen Phuong Nam, CEO of KLINOVA, key expert of the program

The workshop concluded with a set of actionable recommendations for ASEAN Member States (AMS), designed to translate discussions into practical next steps:

• Policy alignment and harmonization: strengthen consistency of air quality and climate policies across the region, reducing regulatory fragmentation that hinders private sector participation.
• Enhanced financing mechanisms: expand access to green financing and tailored instruments for MSMEs, helping businesses overcome high upfront costs in adopting clean technologies.
• Capacity building and knowledge exchange: establish sustained training programs and regional platforms for sharing technical expertise, best practices, and innovative solutions.
• Private sector engagement frameworks: create clear incentive structures—through market-based mechanisms, voluntary standards, and recognition schemes—that encourage businesses to integrate air quality measures into their operations.
• Regional dialogue platforms: institutionalize regular exchanges between governments, the private sector, and civil society, ensuring continuous cooperation and monitoring of progress.

These outcomes are expected to equip AMS with stronger institutional and technical capacities, enabling them to design and implement more effective clean air regulations while fostering private sector leadership in emission reduction.

Through this collaboration, KLINOVA has further solidified its role as a trusted partner in ASEAN’s air quality agenda, supporting countries in turning policy aspirations into tangible outcomes for people’s health and sustainable development.

- Huu Hoang -