Industry figures call for cooperation on environmental measures

A leading environmental figure has called for countries in Asia to come together to improve their environmental policies.

Speaking at the three-day Better Air Quality convergence held in Bangkok this week, Sophie Punte, executive director of Clean Air Initiative Asia urged a more encompassing policy to be adopted by Asian nations.

"If we only focus on air quality solutions, we will fail. Air pollution and climate change have interactive causes and effects," she outlined.

Ms Punte pointed out that poor air in some Asian cities is proving to be a catalyst for asthma and "pollution-related diseases", the Jakarta Post reported.

Her proposals were supported by the Asian Development Bank, whose vice-president of knowledge management Ursula Schafer-Preuss said transport and emissions need to be examined more closely.

In related news, a study in California found this week that poor air quality costs the state a total of $28 billion (£18.9 billion) annually in lost productivity, illness and death.