Environmental Quality Specialists Bring Their Knowledge to Darwin

Two hundred of the world’s leading scientists, government officials and industry representatives will meet in Darwin from 7 – 10 July at the Darwin Convention Centre to discuss how environmental quality is protected and monitored. The conference, hosted by the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC), which is a global network of environmental specialists, will bring participants from abroad including China, USA and Europe.

The conference program is diverse covering everything from mine closure, management of oil and gas operations through to PFAS contamination, topics that are close to the hearts of Territorians. The conference will feature plenaries from leading scientists such as the highly-decorated ecotoxicologist, Prof Emma Johnston (AO).

The theme of the conference is ‘protecting and improving the environment through collaboration – across disciplines and borders’. It is fitting that this conference is being held in Darwin as the tropical Top-End is a hotspot for biodiversity, natural and cultural wonders. It is also a region that is rich in natural resources and has seen increasing pressures from industrial development. This makes Darwin an ideal place where knowledge sharing offers a real opportunity for the long-term sustainable development of northern Australia.  The rich Indigenous heritage of the region is being recognised by offering a unique session focused on the collaboration of Indigenous knowledge and values with environmental quality science.

Conference Co-Chair and SETAC-Australasia President, Dr Andrew Hartford said, “The conference will build on the strengths the society has gained through our history of collaboration between, industry, government and academia. We know that getting people together to share their knowledge and getting people to move in the same direction maximises the health of the environment.”

This conference will showcase SETAC’s approach with workshops and special sessions aimed at addressing the environmental questions that we share. One great example of this will be the workshop on the recently revised Australian and New Zealand Guidelines for Water Quality. Many of our members were involved in writing these guidelines and these people came from many different sectors.  They are a key tool for protecting the plants and animals in our waterways.

The conference provides a unique opportunity for Territorians interested in environmental quality science.  The conference, sponsored by key industry members such as Power and Water Corporation and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, will present the latest findings on a range of environmental research.  The event was also brought to Darwin with the support of the NT Business Events.

We encourage anyone interested in the environment to explore our conference program at www.setac-au2019.com.au.