參與成員:梁美儀教授
亞洲擁有約46億人口，佔2020年全球78億人口的一半以上，對自然資源和生態環境構成了巨大壓力。聯合國預測，到2030年，亞洲將成為全球城市固體廢物的主要產生區域。亞洲的空氣、土壤和水污染以及食品安全問題一直面對重大挑戰。
2015年，環境毒理及化學協會(SETAC)發起「全球前瞻掃描項目」(GHSP)，旨在甄別全球最優先的環境質量和健康問題。此前，該項目已在歐洲、拉丁美洲、北美洲和大洋洲進行。最近，亞洲的工作亦已完成，相關出版物已發表。
亞太地區SETAC由500多名從事環境科學、環境工程、環境公共衛生和管理、以及化學品可持續利用的專業成員組成。作為GHSP的一部分，SETAC亞太地區的小組成員應邀提出領域中最重要的研究問題。通過嚴格社會科學的甄別過程，由亞洲研究人員、政府機構和環保企業領導人組成的一個多學科團隊共同確定了亞洲面臨的23個優先研究問題，旨在解決這些緊迫的環境質量問題，並實現亞洲的可持續性發展。
這項國際合作研究結果最近於國際學術期刊《Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry》中發表。香港城市大學海洋污染國家重點實驗室(SKLMP)主任兼化學系講座教授梁美儀教授是這項重要工作的領導者之一。梁教授說：「隨着亞洲人口和污染問題的日益嚴重，我們的環境面臨着前所未有的挑戰，需要通過綜合環境政策和創新科技來解決。亞洲GHSP的研究成果將為區內研究人員、資助機構和監管部門提供關鍵優先研究問題和知識空缺。希望我們的合作研究成果將有助於加快建立切實可行的解決方案，以改善亞洲的環境質量和促進可持續發展。」其他環保專家也分享了梁教授對GHSP工作影響的看法。
GHSP項目的主持者、美國貝勒大學環境科學學院傑出教授Bryan Brooks回應說：「是次國際團隊提出的優先環境問題為實現更可持續的環境質量創建了一條及時而重要的研究路線圖，這對於我們共同保護人類健康、生物多樣性和生態系統服務是必不可少的。」
SETAC全球行政總監 Charles Menzie 博士說：「SETAC為能夠支持這個國際項目感到非常自豪。SETAC亞太成員發表的這篇文章非常及時，並為將來的研究提供了方向。我祈望他們的研究成果會轉化成切實可行的解決方案，例如環境政策和國際合作等。」
SETAC亞太地區主席、中國暨南大學環境學院遊靜教授補充說：「當中不少甄選的研究問題針對聯合國的可持續發展目標，同時亦有一些問題專門針對亞洲地區的需要。我們的研究工作為解決區域環境問題鋪平了道路。我也希望這項倡議能促進更多的國際合作。」
香港城市大學SKLMP前主任、胡梁子慧講座教授林群聲對此國際項目表示祝賀。林教授說：「雖然解決這些優先研究問題並不容易，相信集合國際力量我們能進一步改善亞洲的環境質量，實現更可持續發展。我很高興我們的SKLMP參與了這一至關重要的工作。」
已發表的文章：
Leung, K.M.Y., Yeung, K.W.Y., You, J., Choi, K.H., Zhang, X.W., Smith, R., Zhou, G.J., Yung, M.M.N., Arias-Barreiro, C., An, Y.J., Burket, S.R., Dwyer, R., Goodkin, N., Hii, Y.S., Hoang, T., Humphrey, C., Iwai, C.B., Jeong, S.W., Juhel, G., Karami, A., Kyriazi-Huber, K., Lee, K.C., Lin, B.L., Lu, B., Martin, P., Nillos, M.G., Oginawati, K., Rathnayake, I.V.N., Risjani, Y., Shoeb, M., Tan, C.H., Tsuchiya, M.C., Ankley, G.T., Boxall, A.B.A., Rudd, M.A., Brooks, B.W. (2020). Towards sustainable environmental quality: Priority research questions for Asia. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, 39(8), 1485-1505. Link to the article: https://setac.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/etc.4788
| Table 1: The 23 priority questions identified by the Asian GHSP among four themes. | |
| 1 | How do we develop broad screen analytical methods integrating non-target directed analysis for identifying key chemical stressors responsible for observed toxicity? |
| 2 | How do we develop methods to identify and quantify nano- and microplastics in different environmental compartments (water, sediment, soil, biota) associated with potential toxicity or interactions with other contaminants? |
| 3 | What are the terrestrial and aquatic risks of atmospheric contaminants in Asia? |
| 4 | How can we improve methods to classify, identify and separate nano-materials contaminants from their bulk counterparts and differentiate effects caused by nano-materials in the environment? |
| 5 | How can we better use field data and incorporate new big data (e.g., ecological genome) approaches for improving ecological risk assessments and decision making? |
| 6 | How can we develop and advance laboratory (e.g., in vitro, in vivo, analytical) and theoretical (toxicokinetic, toxicodynamic) approaches to understand (prospective, retrospective) adverse outcomes of complex chemical mixtures (e.g., pesticides, surfactants, medicines, metals)? |
| 7 | How we can improve the current approaches to assess and manage risks of micro-pollutants and emerging contaminants? |
| 8 | How can we integrate high throughput screening with next generation computational toxicology tools to support hazard and risk assessment of individual chemicals and complex mixtures? |
| 9 | How can we develop advanced biological tools to better understand and predict toxic mechanisms and interactions across species in multiple highly biodiverse compartments for risk assessment and management of chemical contaminants in Asia? |
| 10 | How can we analyse big data and develop effective risk communication approaches (e.g., report card system, real-time reporting) for environmental status (e.g., ecosystem functions and services)? |
| 11 | How can we use new developments in nanoscience and nanotechnology to advance ecotoxicological research? |
| 12 | How can we strengthen the environmental quality criteria system (e.g., water, sediment, soil, air) to adequately protect ecosystems that are experiencing multiple stressors and changing climate? |
| 13 | What are the influences of changing landscapes and climate change on the resilience of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, and how do we measure the ecological endpoints with reference to chemical pollution? |
| 14 | How can we develop an integrative and effective framework (e.g., environmental policy, green technologies) to manage nutrient loading and associated hypoxia in Asia? |
| 15 | How will changes to physicochemical characteristics (e.g., salinization/ion imbalance, pH, temperature, hypoxia due to enrichment) alter bioavailability and effects of chemical stressors in the environment? |
| 16 | How can we prioritize and apportion chemical stressors in complex scenarios to guide restoration efforts? |
| 17 | How can we identify adverse impacts of multiple stressors in the field to biodiversity (including multigenerational, evolutionary, and developmental), ecosystem services, and human health? |
| 18 | To what extent is seawater pH in South-East Asia impacted by terrestrial inputs (e.g., organic carbon, nutrients, other anthropogenic sources such as mining), how are these inputs changing due to human activities (including CO2), and how does this affect vulnerable coastal ecosystems such as coral reefs? |
| 19 | How can we develop new technology and promote green chemistry for enhancing reuse of waste and preventing environmental impacts? |
| 20 | Given increasing population growth and per capita demand for seafood in Asia, how can we develop sustainable aquaculture practices while protecting environmental quality, particularly in coastal waters? |
| 21 | How can we develop innovative solid waste management programs to protect environmental quality, particularly in rural areas of less developed regions in Asia? |
| 22 | What is the extent of antibiotic pollution in the environment and associated risks of antibiotic resistance in rural and urban regions of Asia? |
| 23 |
How can we develop sustainable development frameworks (e.g., green chemistry) to address, balance and manage the production (e.g., food production, forestry) and protection of ecosystem services? |
Image 1: A multidisciplinary team of Asian researchers, government agencies and businesses leaders
jointly identified 23 priority research questions for Asia via the GHSP
