Urban Environmental Pollution: Overcoming Obstacles to Sustainability and Quality of Life

More than half of the world’s population lives in cities, a trend that is rapidly accelerating, especially in developing countries. In the USA, urban areas are merging into huge megalopitan areas, especially along interstate highways.

Cities require and use large quantities of energy and materials, metabolizing them and generating large quantities of waste products and pollutants, resulting in unsustainable environments that adversely affect ecological integrity and diversity and human health and well-being. As many city dwellers are disconnected from the natural world, it has even been suggested that a new species “homo urbanus” is emerging.

This conference, organized by the journal Environmental Pollution and Elsevier, aims to:

• Present the latest information about urban pollution problems and what measures can be taken to overcome obstacles to sustainability and life quality.


• Hear from leading experts in the field


• Provide network opportunities with a wide delegation of international researchers with common interests and concerns.

The conference program is comprised of invited plenary lectures, plenary presentations from the winners of the Young Research Scientist Award and contributed oral and poster presentations on the following themes.

Monday, June 21, 2010

Globalization and the urban environment: Setting the scene
Urban metabolism
Processes and dynamics of megacities
Urbanization in China: Problems & prospects

Urban environmental pollutants: Nature and effects
Air quality in urban environments
Particulates and human health
Urban warming: Human health
Urban warming:  Ecology, diversity

Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Urban environmental pollutants: Nature and effects
Urban water pollution and storm water
Urban chemical pollution

Moving toward sustainable development and improved life quality
Sustainability: Eco-urban space
Ecoroofs (green roofs)
Trees, cooling, air quality

Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Moving toward sustainable development and improved life quality
Adaptation of the built environment to climate change
Utility of increasing reflective surfaces

Summation and Recommendations

Unfortunately the deadline for abstract submission is already passed, but you can still register for this interesting conference! Click HERE to go to the registration information on the conference website.