Air Quality Model Evaluation International Initiative (AQMEII) Advancing the State of the Science in Regional Photochemical Modeling and Its Applications

The US and the European Union (EU) conducted a series of workshops where the Air Quality Model Evaluation International Initiative (AQMEII) was introduced. AQMEII was aimed at providing a permanent forum to constantly monitor the state of advancement of regional-scale air-quality models and model evaluation methodologies. This was achieved through the organization of periodic workshops and modeling activities in which the different aspects of model performance evaluation were considered. The main purpose of AQMEII was to coordinate international efforts in scientific research in NA and EU and help achieve a number of significant objectives. Some of these objectives involved exchanging expert knowledge in regional-scale air-quality modeling, identifying knowledge gaps in air-quality science, and developing innovative methodologies to evaluate uncertainties in air-quality modeling.