Aeris Managing Partner, Paul Bieringer provided the keynote speech on September 30, 2022, at the 21st International Conference on Harmonisation within Atmospheric Dispersion Modelling for Regulatory Purposes (HARMO21) in Aveiro, Portugal. The conference brings together leading research scientists who develop and implement methodologies for characterizing and modeling air quality to ensure compliance with European Union air quality directives.
Audience
The 21st International Conference on Harmonisation within Atmospheric Dispersion Modelling for Regulatory Purposes (HARMO21) is aimed at model developers, model users, environmental protection agencies, and legislation experts. What distinguishes this conference from many others is its focus on common tools and methodologies.
Focus of the Conference
The series of international conferences on Harmonisation within Atmospheric Dispersion Modelling for Regulatory Purposes is concerned with the improvement of “modeling culture” both in Europe and at an international level.
Dispersion modeling is widely used for regulatory purposes, both for permits and for assessments, but there is a lack of sufficient mechanisms to make modeling processes transparent and ensure trust in its results.
There are many open questions and aspects of this, such as: Are the models scientifically sound for the purpose they are used? Are the models validated against observations or physical experiments? Are the models properly used by the experts? Are the users familiar with good practices and do they avoid bad practices? Are model developments sufficiently quality assured? Are reference problems established? Is the proper exchange of experiences ensured? Work on these questions is needed in order to assess the air quality impacts on society and nature, human health, biodiversity, and climate.
Such issues that are not specific to one particular model, but common to several, are in focus at the 21st Int. conference on Harmonisation within Atmospheric Dispersion Modeling for Regulatory Purposes.
The Harmonisation conferences provide the ground where model users and decision-makers can bring their requirements to the attention of scientists and search together for better regulatory tools and indicators for the diverse impacts of air quality.
“It has been great to be able to reconnect with our European colleagues and learn about state-of-the-science atmospheric dispersion modeling technologies. This helps Aeris to stay at the forefront of technologies in modeling and source apportionment for our clients in the national security sector in the United States.”
—Paul Bieringer