Introduction to special section on 'East Asia Climate and Environment'

Activities within the collaborative project East Asia Climate and Environment focus on the impact on the composition of chemically active greenhouse compounds from the rapidly growing emissions in Asia. Estimates of emissions (past and future) are discussed in light of the demand for energy in the different sectors. The impact includes regional scale contributions through short-lived climate compounds like particles and ozone, while global scale contributions are demonstrated through changes in oxidation capacity affecting compounds like CH₄. One key issue is the important and increasing contribution from China to atmospheric chemical changes.