this update focuses on smart cities discussing in particular challenges for smart city strategies and addressing environmental risks in emerging asian cities in light of rising urbanisation increasing economic activity and climate change high levels of air pollution have serious health consequences especially among lowerincome households and can curtail economic growth prospects policy makers in the region would need to strengthen the enforcement of existing rules and work towards clearer and targeted policy frameworks with the participation of all levels of government cooperation between countries in the region is just as crucial since environmental hazards are often transborder issues