At the Better Air Quality (BAQ) 2026 Conference in Bangkok, the Asian Transport Observatory (ATO) delivered a presentation on the state of transport and air pollution in Asia and the Pacific, as part of the session "Scaling Low-Emissions Transport: Where We Are and What Is Being Done."

The presentation delivered by Alvin Mejia, Co-Team Lead of the ATO, highlighted the scale and concentration of the air pollution burden in the region, where a large share of the population remains exposed to criteria air pollutants at harmful levels, and underscored transport as a significant and evolving contributor. While progress has been made—particularly through vehicle emission standards and fuel quality improvements—key challenges persist, including the disproportionate impact of heavy-duty vehicles, the growing importance of non-exhaust emissions, and the emergence of domestic shipping as a major but often overlooked source of pollution.

Drawing on ATO's data and analytical work, the session emphasized that progress remains uneven across countries and sectors, and that stronger data systems, improved monitoring, and integrated policy approaches are needed to better understand impacts and accelerate action.

At the event, ATO’s regional report on transport and air quality "Beyond the Tailpipe: Asia’s Evolving Transport Emissions Challenge" was released. The event was organized by Clean Air Asia, and was attended by more than a thousand participants.