While national guidelines for environmental risk communication – based on risk and crisis communication principles – exist, little is known how these are operationalized, nor about the effectiveness of existing communication efforts. Moreover, a growing literature on environmental health literacy suggests that communication about environmental risks must move beyond individual behavior education t...

This paper presents on the experience of Mie Prefecture and Yokkaichi City titled; Experience of Yokkaichi city: Forerunner of air quality management in Japan. The experience of Yokkaichi city is one of the four biggest environmental pollutions in Japan along as two Minamatas and Itai-itai disease, and has been known the name not only domestically but internationally. Here the paper will explain i...

This report contains a comparative analysis of five African cities in terms of their air pollution problem, as well as their attempts to manage and improve air quality. Also included is an analysis of the impact of counter measures to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021 in those cities, and the impact that these had on air pollution levels. While many indicators show that progress is being made...

Japan created domestic economic prosperity at the cost of environmental damage after World War II, and then achieved remarkable results in controlling environmental pollution in a short time. The article systematically analyzes the beneficial experience of Japan's environmental governance from the aspects of environmental governance laws, policies, cultural education, and energy conservation. Japa...

Cities are recognized as significant contributors to carbon emissions due to their numerous productive enterprises and dense populations. Tackling climate change and achieving the transformation to low-carbon cities requires public participation. News media serve as the primary channel for the public to gain relevant information, and journalists’ attitudes significantly influence the content of re...

This study systematically reviewed 38 peer-reviewed articles (2020–2024) on social media and environmental communication in China following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. It identified dominant research patterns across themes, theories, methods, and platforms. The field is heavily shaped by behavioral models (e.g., TPB, NAT) and survey-based designs, while institutional dynamics, platform governance,...

Air pollution remains a pressing global issue, contributing to millions of deaths annually and disproportionately affecting vulnerable communities. While conventional air quality governance has relied on costly, specialized instruments, recent advances in lower capital cost sensors and digital infrastructure have enabled broader participation in environmental monitoring. This shift creates opportu...

Low and Zero Emission Zones (LEZs and ZEZs) are one tool for cities to improve air quality and health outcomes. Whilst many EU cities already have LEZs, there is no “one-size-fits-all” approach, and social acceptability is key to their success. This IEEP report discusses key issues around the social acceptability of LEZs and ZEZs, drawing on the experiences of five EU cities. Emissions from u...

The working paper is part of the “Low Emission Zone/Congestion Charge (LEZ/CC) Public Communication Strategies” series of papers to offer a comprehensive package of public communication strategies to safeguard successful implementation. It is the first paper in the series, and studies 10 cases from Europe, Asia, and the United States to highlight the variety of social, political, and environmental...

Diverse citizens need to be involved in net zero transitions to ensure policy interventions do not entrench inequalities for people from minoritised or disenfranchised groups and ensure public engagement with rapid social changes. This paper illustrates the importance of designing enjoyable engagement activities aimed at segmented citizen and community groups, to ensure a broad cross-section of so...