Focusing on Air Quality and Climate Change
Recent scientific studies, experiences and developments in policy related to air pollution and climate change in shipping and port industrial areas with specific attention to the reduction of pollutant and greenhouse gas emissions will be discussed in the 2nd Harbours & Air Quality conference that will be hosted in Rotterdam 29-30 May, 2008.
From an air quality point of view, shipping was a somewhat neglected sector. For a long time, air quality specialists focused mainly on industrial and traffic emissions as these where the most relevant sources of exposure. Shipping was environmentally efficient compared to road traffic and the emissions of sea going ships generally occurred far away from population centres. Over the years considerable advances in emission reduction have been made in other sectors and the volume of shipping is steadily increasing. In addition, ports are also specific areas. They are intermodal knots, generally preferential sites for power generation and industrial activities with usually large urban areas nearby as well. This combination of functions and sources of pollution makes port-industrial areas a challenging place both for the air quality as well as its assessment. From the management point harbours deserve specific attention as well. Air quality legislation is becoming increasingly strict in view of the mounting evidence of health impacts. Portindustrial areas not only have to comply with current air quality standards, they will have to improve beyond these standards to create room for further growth and to remain in business. The first Harbours & Air Quality conference was organised by the University of Genoa and Eurasap (European Association for the Science of Air Pollution) in 2005. The 2008 conference broadens the topic from air quality to include climate change aspects as well. CO2 and air quality are intimately linked as it involves the same processes. Conference in Rotterdam aims to combine the two topics. It is also linked to the C40 World Ports Climate Conference to be held in Rotterdam in July 9-11, 2008. Whereas the event is directed at scientists and EPA’s presenting empirical information on shipping and port industrial areas, the C40 World Ports Climate Conference works towards a joint declaration to reduce CO2 emissions to be signed in 2008 by the associated port and city authorities.
www.haqcc.org
International, Scientific Conference on Harbours, Air Quality and Climate Change 29-30 May 2008, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
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