Global experts to discuss air pollution at "EnviroCities 2008" Conference

The conference titled, "EnviroCities 2008 International Conference - Sources and Health Effects of Air Pollution: Knowledge to Practice." will be held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, Minister of Finance and Chairman of Dubai Municipality, on November 11-13 2008, at Al Bustan Rotana Hotel, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

This was announced in a press conference by Eng. Hussain Nasser Lootah, Acting Director General of Dubai Municipality, Dr. Radhiya Al Hashimi, Director of the Environmental Center for Arab Towns, and Mr. Yoshinori Yasumoto, Director of Sales for Middle East, Sharp, which is the Platinum Sponsor of the event.

Mr. Lootah said the impact of human activity on the environment takes numerous forms, many of which are well publicized. In recent years, environmental degradation has become one of increasing concern. Two factors account for this evolution: consumption of resources and the production of waste, whether it is solid, liquid or gaseous.

"Dubai Government not only cares about the health effects of the environmental issues we face today, but it has taken a step further to help the people and the policy-makers alike to know more about the causes and effects of air pollution and the possible steps we all can take together as responsible citizens and governments,"

he said.

Dr. Radhiya Al Hashimi said the Environmental Center for Arab Towns has joined hands with the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) to bring together a panel of the best environmental and health experts from all over the world to share with us their life-time experience on the health effects of air pollutants.

The panel of international experts will include top-notch speakers like Dr. Bryan J. Hubell, Senior Advisor for Science and Policy Analysis at the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Dr. Douglas Dockery, Chairman, Department of Environmental Health at HSPH, Mr. Michael Walsh, Chairman, Board of Directors of the International Council on Clean Transportation, Dr. Robert Devlin, Senior Scientist at the National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory at the US EPA. and Dr.Nino Kunzli, ICREA Research Professor Barcelona, Spain

To add the benefit of regional knowledge to the international experience, Arabian speakers like Dr. Walid S. Bouhamra, Professor Chemical Engineering Department, Kuwait University, Dr. Farid Chaaban, Dean College of Engineering, Dhofar University Oman, Dr. Najat Saliba, Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry, The American University of Beirut, Mr. Redha Salman, Director of Public Health and Safety Department at Dubai Municipality, will also share their studies with the conference delegates.

Topics like Effects of Long-Term Exposure to (Traffic-related) Air Pollution on Cause-Specific Mortality, The Effects of Saharan Dust, The Development of an Air Quality Management Plan for a local Environment: Experience from the Middle East and Ambient and Personal Measurements of PM10, PM2.5 and Gaseous Co-Pollutants will be presented and discussed with a panel of experts, followed by the audience interaction session where everyone can freely discuss and present their questions to the speakers.