The Japan Committee for International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) was established in 1972 to facilitate collaboration between researchers in IIASA and Japan. Since 2012, part of this collaboration has been in the form of a workshop aimed at strengthening the links between scientific and policy research on co-benefits, especially in Asia. For instance, last year’s workshop concluded with the following key messages:

As these messages imply, there is a growing awareness of an integrated approach to air pollution and climate change policy in Asia. However, there is still considerable debate over how such an approach would be designed and implemented in the region. The purpose of this workshop is to begin to build bridges and make connections between researchers and policymakers to better define and operationalize an integrated approach in Asia.

This workshop will therefore consist of a series of panels that aim to make these connections. The workshop will begin with an opening session that highlights what we have learned about co-benefits and where we need to go. It will then follow with three panels on possible ways linking science and policy on co-benefits. It will conclude with panel discussion involving the four chairs from the three sessions that aim to synthesize the recommendations in the session into an integrated approach to co-benefits in Asia.

• To discuss an integrated approach to co-benefits in Asia
• To determine how gap between and among policymakers and researchers can be reconciled by an integrated approach in Asia
• To identify pragmatic alternatives for overcoming these difficulties