Using major qualitative variables found from previous conflicts and quantifiable indices, we analyzed international environmental conflicts. A series of conflict resolution processes, composed of identifying the pollution source, signing environmental agreements, and voluntarily reducing the amount of emissions have been found in past international environmental conflict resolution processes for the transboundary migration of air pollutants. We took our analysis further and analyzed favorable conditions for resolving five well known conflicts, including the Northeast Asian fine dust problem, in terms of qualitative variables such as political landscape, national security issues, and the involvement of third parties. Quantifiable variables derived from the GDP per capita and trade scale were also evaluated in order to indirectly assess favorable socioeconomic environments for the same conflict cases. The results indicated that the qualitative and quantitative variables complemented each other. The Northeast Asian fine dust problem shared a similar socio-economic profile of those countries directly involved with CLRTAP, while also having widely different political and diplomatic circumstances. Therefore, in the future, instead of benchmarking strategies from a famous successful case, CLRTAP, we need to devise a labile strategy which reflects the fast changing international relations of Northeast Asian countries in order to effectively solve the Northeast Asian fine dust problem.

[Key Words] International Environmental Conflict, Transboundary Air Pollution, Fine Dust(PM), Nor