**6. Summary**

The procedural method presented is a novel approach in the context of sustainability research without presenting measurement or analysis results for each pillar. The four pillars bring together researchers from the environmental, social, and health sciences for assessing air quality challenges

and solution-oriented goal setting. The setup includes stakeholders from science, non-governmental organizations, and governmen<sup>t</sup> agencies to allow for local innovation development.

The methodology applied in TAME-BC follows the TRANSFORM and FTI approaches. This transdisciplinary approach consists of (1) the measurement of air pollutants, (2) the study of policy implications for air quality management, (3) exposure-related health e ffects estimations, and (4) local coordination and knowledge production. The TAME-BC approach provides a systematic integrative approach that aims at BC reduction. This setup starts by jointly defining the existing pollution challenges (complex problem constellation) and investigating solution-orientated goals (plausible future constellations) that reflect the current state of the problem (sustainable constellation) by involving various stakeholders (transition strategies).

Applying this approach to air quality challenges in Metro Manila highlights (1) the importance of novel and custom-built measurement technologies for scientific air quality measurement campaigns; (2) the necessity to involve local-level stakeholders to establish a response to policies aiming at BC emissions reduction processes, as well as the prerequisite of innovation roadmaps via attractive legal frameworks; (3) awareness-building processes among healthcare systems and local infrastructures. Finally, the paper emphasizes (4) the need to involve a broad set of stakeholders, including the identification of a shared language and shared goals. Instead of presenting results for all four pillars, this paper suggested that information collected via such a setup can be used for improvements in transport sector planning, policymaking, clinical studies, and state-of-the-art scientific studies. (see Figure 5).

**Figure 5.** Visualization of a novel approach for sustainability research in the context of air quality management.

Bringing the four pillars together by following the FTI and TRANSFORM approaches in Metro Manila proved that custom-built technological solutions are necessary for high-quality data collection regarding air pollutants. Additionally, the high-quality data needs to be translated into the local context by analyzing de jure governance responses by state institutions and de facto mechanisms of the public down to the individual behavior of jeepney drivers. Third, awareness-building via knowledge on health e ffects needs to also be built with local stakeholders to guarantee sustainable change adaptation. Finally, these three scientific steps for BC emissions reduction need to be translated well into local networks, and therefore, a local partner is essential for innovation embedment via stakeholder engagement. These steps ensure a successful transdisciplinary approach for improved air quality and sustainable change-making. Such a setup has an impact on the local scientific state of the

art (pillar one) through scientific emissions assessment, together with local partners. Applying the policy fore-, and back-casting assessment and awareness building pillars (pillars two and three) is also done. The fourth pillar has the potential to combine the knowledge produced toward the development of pollution mitigation.

This transdisciplinary approach aiming at reducing emissions in Metro Manila combined the FTI and TRANSFORM approaches and contributes to the sustainability science by developing and validating a novel approach for sustainability research in the context of air quality management.

**Author Contributions:** Conceptualization: L.T., Y.K., and S.K.; manuscript methodology: L.T.; project methodology: Y.K., S.K., L.M., E.G.T., D.M.C., Q.Z., T.S., A.W., A.M. and A.-K.H.; software: S.K., L.M. and E.G.T.; validation: L.T. and Y.K.; formal analysis: L.T., Y.K., S.K., L.M., E.G.T. and D.M.C.; resources: A.-K.H., T.S., A.W. and A.M.; data curation: S.K., L.M., E.G.T. and D.M.C.; original draft preparation: L.T., Y.K, S.K. and L.M.; writing—review and editing: L.T., Y.K., S.K., L.M., E.G.T., D.M.C., Q.Z., T.S., A.W. and A.M.; visualizations: E.G.T., D.M.C., L.M., S.K., L.T. and Y.K.; supervision: A.-K.H., T.S., A.W. and A.M.; funding acquisition: A.-K.H., T.S., A.W. and A.M. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

**Funding:** This research was funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research in the framework of TAME-BC (project number 01LE1903A).

**Acknowledgments:** The authors would like to thank Henryk Al ff for his work on the initial project proposal.

**Conflicts of Interest:** The authors declare no conflict of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript, or in the decision to publish the results.
