“‘Everybody’s responsibility is nobody’s responsibility’: Barriers and enablers in particulate air pollution (PAP) protection for children in urban areas in Nepal and Indonesia.”

Children are among the most vulnerable groups exposed to the worsening global air pollution. While improving air quality for the future is a long-term public priority, protecting against particulate air pollution (PAP) is vital for the health and safety of the public, especially children. PAP protection is also crucial for children, as PAP is a significant risk to children’s lives, and there are long-term health implications associated with exposure to PAP in children. Protecting children from PAP is a key element of leaving no one behind, and inclusion for all, in creating healthy and inclusive urban environments. However, policy processes that facilitate or hinder PAP protection, particularly in urban areas, have received less attention compared to PAP prevention. This presentation focuses on how PAP protection is governed in Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) and examines the policy barriers and enablers to PAP protection for children. We undertook interviews and focus groups with policymakers in Nepal and Indonesia. We analyse and compare the governance of PAP protection between the Nepalese and Indonesian governments and non-government organisations (NGOs) in providing public advice and promoting protective behaviours regarding PAP, especially for children. Our research identifies that barriers to PAP protection at the policy level include cultural, financial, institutional, knowledge, legal, political and technological aspects, while enablers to PAP protection include drivers from both endogenous and exogenous forces. Furthermore, the presentation contributes to expanding our understanding of the decision-making processes and interactions among policy actors in engaging with environmental governance in urban areas in the Asia-Pacific context.