The effects of the COVID19 epidemic are closely linked to environmental issues from many perspectives.
On the one hand some studies try to investigate a possible correlation between the concentration of pollutants, and in particular offine dust pollution, and the incidence of Coronavirus infections (Wu et al., 2020; Ogen, 2020). The hypothesis is that emissions and pollutants act as carriers of the virusand generate health problems which undermine individuals’ resistance to the virus and their survival probability.
On the other hand, we have been able to observe how the lockdown many countries have undergone has determined a strong alteration of the effects of pollutants and of their impact on the environment, sometimes producing temporary improvements in a series of parameters. The data collected in many contexts in fact demonstrate these trends, with significant effects in relation to air quality and water pollution.
These trends, which are still under observation, seem to confirm once again, and in an extremely clear way, the link between economy, health and the environment. 
Starting from the most recent evidence and data collected, the aim of the seminar is to discuss emerging trends and if it is possible to understand cause-effect links and relationships between the various anthropogenicactivities (mobility in particular) and pollution and, finally, to analyze which are the lessons and the hints for the design of environmental policies able to better respond both to emergency situations as the one we just experienced and to more structural challenges such as climate change and global warming.

References:

Yaron Ogen 2020. Assessing nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels as a contributing factor to coronavirus fatality. Science of the total Environment
Wu, Nethery, Sabath, Braun, Dominici 2020. Exposure to air pollution and COVID-19 mortality in the United States: a nationwide cross-sectional study

Speakers

DARIO CARO, Aarhus University
Dr. Dario Caro (PhD) has a background in Chemistry with a special focus on Environmental Chemistry and Environmental Sciences. For more than 10 years, his research has been characterized by a strong interdisciplinary approach concerning the environmental sustainability. Presently, he is a tenure-track researcher in the Department of Environmental Science at the Aarhus University (Copenhagen, Denmark) where he is leader of the Strategic Reserach Area (SGA): Resource Flows in a Circular Economy. His work focuses on sustainable systems analysis including energy policy, waste management, pollution and natural resources investigating the complex interactions of human activities with climate change and global ecology. He is author and co-author of about 60 publications including peer reviewed scientific journals, encyclopedia, book chapters and conference papers. He has supervised about 15 PhD/Master students. He teaches a PhD course at the Aarhus University titled “the environmental impact of the agricultural sector”. He is member of the Advances in Cleaner Production Network and EcoQuadro Think Tank. 

VLASIOS OIKONOMOU, IEECP
Dr. Vlasios Oikonomou is a senior researcher and Programs Director at IEECP, economist who is coordinating a series of EU funded projects (such as the H2020 ENPOR on energy poverty policy formulations and others). He has been coordinating the EC IEE ENSPOL project (Energy Saving Policies and Energy Efficiency Obligation Schemes) and he participates in the EC H2020 EPATEE (Evaluation into practice to achieve targets for energy efficiency). He is currently leading two EC Horizon 2020 projects; PROSPECT (Peer Powered Cities and Regions) as a scientific coordinator, and PUBLENEF (Supporting Public Authorities for implementing energy efficiency policies). In the past, he was a coordinator an EC FP7 POLIMP project (Mobilizing and Transferring knowledge on post-2012 climate policy implications), the EC FP7 project APRAISE on evaluating energy efficiency and climate policy programs in the EU. He was also partner to the EC H2020 EU-MERCI (EU coordinated Methods and procedures based on Real Cases for the effective implementation of policies and measures supporting energy efficiency in the Industry) on Article 7 policies in industry. He has finalised his PhD on interactions of White Certificates energy and climate policy instruments, where he has published a series of articles in books and journals in this field and he is invited as energy efficiency policy expert in various EU policy conferences. His mother tongue is Greek and he speaks English, French, and Dutch.

MARCO RAVINA, Polytechnic of Turin
Marco Ravina is post-doc researcher at the Department of Environmental and Infrastructural Engineering of Turin Polytechnic, Italy. He works with the Environmental and Sanitary Engineering group and his research activity focuses on the study of emissions into the atmosphere, at the local scale (dispersion modelling) and global scale (greenhouse gas balancing). His work is mainly addressed to the development and use of modelling tools to estimate pollutant – induced impacts on human health and the environment. His main research interests are the environmental compatibility and externalities estimation of urban energy systems and their connection to the energy and air quality planning activities. He is also working on research studies related to the characterization and modelling of odour emissions from industrial activities. He owns previous working experience in the R&D sector in international companies.

Working language: English

Partecipation is free upon registration.

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