Background
Air pollution remains the world's largest environmental risk factor for premature death, causing around nine million deaths annually, with related health damages amounting to approximately 6.1% of global GDP. Emission inventories are a cornerstone of science-based air pollution management, yet many countries in the Asia-Pacific region face significant technical, institutional, and data-related challenges in this area — a gap recognized across UN Environment Assembly resolutions on air quality (1/7, 3/8 and 6/10).
In response, UNEP and the National Air Emission Inventory and Research Centre (NAIR) of the Republic of Korea jointly developed this regional capacity-building programme, building on the 2025 edition and including participation in the IDCABS Symposium 2026 and study visits in the Republic of Korea. As part of UNEP's broader commitment to youth engagement, this call invites applications from early-career researchers and practitioners to join as Young Scientists, alongside senior professionals from government agencies and research institutions across the region.
Learning objectives
The capacity building programme has the following core objectives:
Foster regional knowledge exchange and peer-to-peer learning among air quality practitioners
Enhance technical capacity through on-site training in emission inventory methodologies.
Promote experiential learning through site visits relevant to the regional context.
Strengthen participants’ ability to apply emission inventories to national policy planning.
Format
The programme will deliver a structured curriculum combining theoretical learning, group discussions and site visits. It will be conducted fully onsite in English and will include:
7 September 2026: International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies (IDCABS) Symposium in Seoul, Republic of Korea
8-11 September 2026: On-site training workshop in Seoul, Republic of Korea – onsite training, site visits
Timeline
- 6 July 2026: Call for applications launched
- 13 July 2026: Submission deadline for applications
- 15 July 2026: Selected training participants notified
- 7-11 September 2026: Symposium and On-site training workshop
Target participants
This call is open to early-career researchers, young scientists, and practitioners from across the Asia-Pacific region with an interest in air quality and emission inventory.Selected candidates will participate in the on-site training workshop alongside mid- to senior-level professionals from government agencies and research institutions across the region.
EligibilityRequired:
Holds a master's degree or above in a relevant field
Demonstrated interest or experience in air quality, emission inventory, atmospheric science, environmental engineering, public health, or environmental policy
Nationality or institutional affiliation from a country covered by UNEP Asia and the Pacific Office*
Available to attend the full programme (7–11 September 2026)
Desirable:
34 years or under (youth applicants are encouraged to apply)
Holds a doctoral degree (Ph.D)
Travel support, including economy class air ticket, accommodation, and a daily subsistence allowance (DSA), will be provided by the organizers for selected participants.
Application process
To apply, please complete the application form available here by 13 July 2026, 24:00 (ICT, UTC+7).
Only selected candidates will be notified. Successful participants will receive a Certificate of Completion jointly issued by the National Air Emission Inventory and Research Centre (NAIR) of the Republic of Korea.
*Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, China, Cook Islands, Fiji, India, Indonesia, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Japan, Kiribati, Korea (Democratic People's Republic of), Korea (the Republic of), Lao PDR, Malaysia, Maldives, Marshall Islands, Micronesia (Federated States of), Mongolia, Myanmar, Nauru, Nepal, New Zealand, Niue, Pakistan, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Samoa, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, Viet Nam.
