AQMRC researchers submit invited paper for special issue of Atmospheric Environment

AQMRC researchers have submitted their invited paper for the 50th anniversary issue of Atmospheric Environment, entitled "A critical review of, and commentary on, the development of an effects based air quality management regime". The paper draws on air quality management examples and experiences from around the globe, with a case study of air quality management in the UK. The special issue should be published later this year and will be available from the elsevier website.

Air Pollution 2008

The deadline for paper submissions to the Wessex Institute of Technology conference 'Air Pollution 2008' is 21 May 2008. Click here for further information. The 16th annual conference dealing with modelling, monitoring and management of air pollution will be held this year in Skiathos, Greece on 22-24 September and will be co-chaired by Jim Longhurst. AQMRC are submitting several papers for inclusion in the conference proceedings, including submissions from Dotun Olowoporoku and Simon Baldwin related to their PhD research.

Tim invited to join the International Advisory Committee for the IUAPPA Regional Conference 2008

This years conference will be held in conjunction with the Annual Meeting of the National Association for Clean Air of South Africa. The IUAPPA Regional Conference will focus on the development of Air Quality Management systems at local, national and regional scales. Special sessions will include comparative experience of national air quality management systems; integrating air pollution and climate change abatement strategies; and transport and air quality in emerging mega-cities.

Jim speaking at BA Science Communication Conference

The British Association is holding its annual Science Communication Conference on 19 - 20 May 2008. As part of the conference, the BA are running a session in which those involved in relevant studies engage with the science communication community, so that practical science communicators c
an be aware of and draw on the latest research. The abstract from Jim's presentation is available here.

Jim is participating in the Conference following the AQMRC "Consultation as Science Communication?" project, to communicate this research with attending practitioners.

AQMRC welcomes Rose Bailey- new EPSRC CASE PhD student

Rose joined AQMRC in May 2008 to study for a PhD entitled Carbon Management at the City Scale: An Exploration of the Carbon Futures for the Bristol Region. This PhD is funded by the EPSRC and the Centre for Sustainable Energy, with the support of Bristol City Council, and will be supervised by AQMRC's Professor Jim Longhurst and Dr Enda Hayes, and Professor Vala Ragnarsdottir, from the University of Bristol.

Enda speaks at UWE seminar series

Enda gave a presentation at the UWE breakfast seminar series on air quality and transport planning. The seminar was well attended by air quality, planning, transport, and environmental experts from across the university, and gave rise to interesting debate on planning and effective air quality management.

PhD researcher Dotun Olowoporoku visits Cornwall Air Quality Forum

Following the successful presentation at the 10th AQMRC and Environment Protection UK Annual Conference held in Bristol on 21 February, 2008. Dotun was invited as a guest speaker at Partnership Board of the Cornwall Air Quality Forum (CAQF) held on 27 March. The meeting is comprised of the five Cornish district councils, Cornwall County Council and Cornwall College. At the meeting, he gave a talk on ‘Delivering Air Quality Objectives through the Local Transport Plan’. It provided the opportunity to present the key findings from the first round of questionnaires to a broad range of stakeholders who are responsible for steering the air quality management agenda at the local level. Dotun's research presentations are available here.

Tim on expert panel at Great Environment Briefing

Well over 450 people attended the The Institution of Mechanical Engineers’ Great Environment Briefing at Reading Town Hall on Wednesday 9 April – with another 100+ watching via live webcast.
The expert panel included Tim Chatterton from AQMRC along with Dist. Professor Roland Clift of Surrey University, Professor Peter Matthews (talking on Water Quality), Professor John Twiddell (on Energy) and Jeff Cooper (on Waste). The event was chaired by Professor Sir Brian Hoskins, CBE., FRS
Following 15 minute presentations from the panel members, the briefing then held a wide ranging question and answer session (with question from the floor and via the internet from the webcast). Issues covered included diversion of agricultural resources to meat and biofuel production, encouragement of renewable energy, how to change people’s behaviour, purchasing art versus other carbon offsetting schemes, localisation of economic and cultural activities, problems with Fractional Reserve Banking systems, how deaths from air pollution are calculated and population control strategies. So a wide range of issues was covered – of interest both to engineers and non-engineers.

South African visitors take home air quality messages from UK study tour

The South African delegation were in the UK during the week beginning the 31st March - 4th April during which time they visited the University of the West of England, Bristol, AEA Energy & Environment at Harwell, the Environment Agency in Reading, Defra offices in London, the Greater London Authority and the two day Environmental Protection UK Spring Workshop in Northampton. Our visiting delegation thoroughly enjoyed their visit to the UK and returned to South Africa with an abundance of ideas and messages for their national and local governments, academics, NGO's and air quality practitioners. AQMRC and our South African visitors would like to thank the various individuals and organisations who opened their doors to our visitors and gave their time so generously to make it a most engaging and informative tour.

Air Quality Roadshow at UWE

Enviro Technology visited the UWE, Bristol Frenchay Campus on Monday 7 April with air quality monitoring equipment to explain and demonstrate to interested local authorities, researchers, and environmental consultants. AQMRC were pleased to host the event at which a number of delegates braved the weather and observed the equipment monitoring air quality and vehicle emissions in various locations around the campus. For more details about the event, please click here.

AQMRC awarded Higher Skills Development Fund

AQMRC has been awarded a Higher Skills Development Fund for the Development of Training Materials on Air Quality and Carbon Management for Air Quality Professionals in the South West Region. The project is for a one year duration. We will be asking your views, as air quality professionals, throughout the development of the training materials.

South African delegation visit UWE on the first leg of their European Study Tour (31st March - 4th April 2008)

In 2007, AQMRC in partnership with the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), the University of KwaZulu-Natal and the Norwegian Institute for Air Research (NILU) successfully completed the National Air Quality Framework on behalf of the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism in South Africa. As part of this prestigious project, AQMRC were tasked with organising a knowledge exchange study tour to the UK for a South African delegation to learn more about the UK air quality management systems, science and issues. The South African delegation is lead Prof Roseanne Diab (University of KwaZulu-Natal) accompanied by her husband Richard, Jean-Pierre Mfuamba (National Framework Intern), Yegeshni Naiker (National Framework Intern), Caradee Wright (CSIR Postdoc) and Tirusha Thambiran (University of KwaZulu-Natal PhD student). This knowledge exchange study tour will include visits to UWE, AEAT, the Environment Agency, Defra, the GLA and finally two days at the Environmental Protection UK Annual Spring Workshop. Dr Enda Hayes, AQMRC organised the study tour and will accompany the delegation while they are in the UK. AQMRC are delighted to be involved in such a high profile project and look forward to welcoming our South African colleagues for an engaging and informative visit.

Tim takes key role at the UKPHA annual public health forum

Tim will be attending the UKPHA annual public health forum in Liverpool on the 1st and 2nd of April. He will be having a busy week. He will be presenting an paper based on the work that the group carried out for DfT last year on public attitudes towards the environment in making transport choices, and a poster on public consultation based on the ESRC Science in Society "10 Steps to Better Engagement" project. In his role as co-chair of the UKPHA's Special Interest Group on Health and Sustainable Environments, Tim will also be chairing a session on Planning for Health, and is co-ordinating the SIGs concurrent debate on "Valuing Health and Environment in Decision Making: Can We Afford Not To?". This feature a number of high profile speakers, including Neil McInroy from the Centre for Local Economic Strategies, Paul Tomlinson from the Royal Town Planning Institute, and members of the GLAs teams on planning and health.