Environmental Cooperation: The Monitoring of Transboundary Air Pollution

Abstract

In East Asia steady economic growth has contributed to the overall development of the society and the improvement of people’s lives. However, rapid industrialisation has been accompanied by various environmental problems from water pollution to greenhouse gas emissions. The excess atmospheric deposition of acidic substances is one such environmental problem. Emissions of air pollutants such as sulphur dioxide (SO₂) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) have increased due to the growing consumption of fossil fuels for electric power utilities, industrial activities and transport, and caused various adverse effects on the environment such as damage to forests and agricultural crops, as well as human health problems. Importantly, atmospheric deposition is transboundary in nature, flowing from one country to its neighbouring countries. This makes the resolution of atmospheric pollution problems complicated, requiring scientific knowledge to elucidate mechanisms for pollution migration and political bargaining among governments trying to agree on collective action.