IVL hosts training course for Chinese air quality researchers
During two weeks a delegation of twelve people from the city of Tianjin, are visiting IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute to participate in a training program in air pollution management.
– The level of air pollution in China's largest cities is critical. Authorities are pressed to improve the situation and one very important step is capacity building and research collaboration. We are happy to be able to contribute towards that direction, says Åke Sjödin, project manager, IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute. The delegation consists of representatives from environmental authorities and the Tianjin Academy of Environmental Sciences, TAES. Last year, TAES and IVL among others, signed an agreement on a common virtual laboratory for air surveillance. This training program deepens the cooperation even further. Zhao Enhai , deputy director of the Tianjin City Environmental Protection Bureau has worked with environmental issues for 30 years and feel that all parts of society now supports the efforts towards a sustainable development. – Everybody is concerned. Never before have we invested so much in measures to improve the air quality as we do know. It's getting slightly better in the biggest cities actually, although we are far away from healthy levels. Unfortunately, the air quality is worsening in the suburbs and rural areas as industries are being moved to the countryside. The delegation has an ambitious program in Sweden and will also visit the port of Gothenburg, the Gothenburg Environmental Administration, University of Gothenburg, ÅF, Swedish Environmental Protection Agency and IVL’s R&D facility Hammarby Sjöstadsverk in Stockholm. –All aspects of this visit are useful to us. Emission inventories, technology solutions, analytical systems as well as measures and policy design - everything is related. We need the whole spectrum to change the situation, says Zhao Enhai. For more information, please contact: Åke Sjödin, ake.sjodin@ivl.se, tel. 010-788 67 98