PANEL

Impact of forest fires on air quality and their effect on the formulation and implementation of management plans

Building local capacity in the region

Format

A 45-minute keynote discussion with a 3-minute introduction from each panelist about their expertise on the topic and a 35-minute guided discussion.

May 16

11:45 am

Plenary hall, UPB Forum Events Center

With the support of

Objective and expected result

To facilitate the exchange of knowledge, experiences, data, and tools on the impact of forest fires on air quality and their impact on the formulation and implementation of air pollution and climate change management plans.

Importance and description of the event

Forest fires are visible expressions of climate change. In recent years, their frequency and intensity have increased, affecting not only the areas where they occur but also cities impacted by the degradation of air quality. This panel seeks to reflect on the complex relationship between forest fires, air quality in urban settings, and their effects on public health, as well as the technical tools and mechanisms for environmental authorities to address these incidents. We bring together expert voices from different fields to analyze how these challenges are being addressed through science, risk management, health, and communication.

Panelists

Héctor Jorquera

Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering and Bioprocesses, Faculty of Engineering

Pontifical Catholic University of Chile.

Daniela García

Line Coordinator, AIDA Human Rights and Environment Program

AIDA Americas

Luis A. Ladino

Senior Research Fellow B, SNI II, Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate Change

UNAM – Mexico

Moderate

Oscar Fabián Arcos

GIA Environmental Research Group

Pontifical Bolivarian University

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CASAP I - 2007

The first version of the event was held in 2007 in Manizales, led by the Universidad Nacional de Colombia. In this first version, a working group on “Diesel quality” was organized, and national and international experts and government representatives discussed a program to improve this fuel in the country. The contributions of this table were fundamental in the subsequent issuance of Law 1205 of 2008 of the Congress, which established the obligation to reduce the amount of sulfur in diesel intended for public transportation to improve the quality of life. As a result of this regulation, the country currently consumes diesel with a sulfur content of 50 ppm compared to the 2,500 ppm that was supplied in 2008.

CASAP IV - 2013

The fourth version of the congress coordinated by the Centro Lasallista de Investigación y Modelación Ambiental CLIMA of Universidad de La Salle, held in Bogotá in 2013, had significant international participation as well as a large presence of national participants, which demonstrates the interest in the problem of air pollution not only at the national level but also at the international level. The topics of most significant impact addressed at the congress were, in order, sampling and analysis of atmospheric pollutants, air quality, and public health, air quality management, public policies, urban planning, and, to a lesser extent, but of equal importance, topics related to climate change, energy efficiency, biofuels, and meteorological modeling.

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CASAP II - 2009

The second version of CASAP was held in Cartagena in 2009, led by the Group of Studies on Urban and Regional Sustainability (SUR) of Universidad de Los Andes, maintaining the choice of a scientific event of international relevance. On this occasion, in addition to the technical and plenary sessions of international guests, there was a broad discussion on biofuels and their impact on air quality and public health.

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CASAP III - 2011

The third version of CASAP took place in Medellin in 2011, led by Área Metropolitana del Valle de Aburrá (AMVA) and a group of regional universities. CASAP 2011 focused on sustainable mobility, a topic that undoubtedly closely relates to air quality in urban centers. Non-traditional mobility options for Colombian cities and incentives that could exist for their implementation were discussed. Today, a growing fleet of electric or hybrid vehicles can be observed on the streets of the leading Colombian cities, in addition to efforts to use sustainable means of transportation, such as bicycles.

CASAP V - 2015

The fifth version of CASAP was held in 2015 in Bucaramanga, led by the Faculty of Environmental Engineering of the Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana. The main topic to be addressed on this occasion was Air Quality Modeling, so a modeling work table was organized. The results are expected to contribute greatly to research and applied regulations on air quality in Colombia.

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CASAP VI - 2017

The sixth version of CASAP was held in 2017 in the city of Santiago de Cali. The theme led by the Universidad del Valle was “Air Quality Management, Challenges and Alternatives for Urban Health.”

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CASAP VII - 2019

The seventh version of CASAP was held in 2019 in Barranquilla, led by the Centro de Educación Continuada of the Universidad del Norte, from August 13-16. The main topic was mobility and urban transport, followed by emerging technologies for monitoring, characterizing, and analyzing air quality. On this occasion, we had 12 international and 12 national speakers, in addition to the presence of environmental and health authorities, companies in the sector, and various universities.

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CASAP VIII - 2021

The eighth version of CASAP occurs once Colombia prepares to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic. The eighth version was held online and synchronously through a virtual platform. It was led by the Environmental Engineering Program of the Universidad Sergio Arboleda in Bogotá. The central theme of the congress was the academy’s post-pandemic perspectives, once the atmosphere’s behavior and human response during the pandemic were studied. On the last day of the congress, a forum with the participation of the industry and a discussion of national and international public entities to share experiences in air management was held in person in Hall 74 – the university’s events center.

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CASAP IX - 2023

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