The World Bank project “URBAIR” was a forerunner for these analyses. All the various possible measures are cost estimated and compiled in relation to calculated reductions in air pollution and the consequences for damage impact.

An AQMS system was established in the city of Guangzhou (6 mill. inhabitants) in South China. The core of the system was the GIS based AirQUIS system. The system is applied to develop action plans for air quality improvement in a cost-efficient manner. The project was a co-operation effort between the NORCE consortium of Norwegian institutes (with NILU as the leading institute) and research and municipal government institutions in Guangzhou. The nature of the project was "knowledge and tools transfer.

The system has been applied also in Oslo, Sarpsborg/Fredrikstad and in the Telemark region in Norway. Parts of the planning system was also applied in Yantai, China in Botswana and is being developed for Haifa, Israel, Stockholm Sweden and for the Saudi Electric Co. in Saudi Arabia.