Conference ISSN: 2974-380X (Print) | 2974-3818 (Online)

Our planet is rapidly changing in response to our actions. It is becoming more and more apparent with each passing day, that our collective tunnel-visioning on technological advancement, with disregard for environmental safety, is costing us our continuity on the globe. The effects of climate change are becoming apparent at an accelerated rate, record high summer temperatures, frequent heat waves, a rise in sea levels, to mention a few and, scientific estimations of the rate of occurrence of these effects are underestimating our destructive capacity, making it likely that devastation is likely unless we act.

Cities present the most formidable challenge in combating the effects of climate change, in their worst cases, the urban sprawl has taken hold, and the cities haphazardly promote automobile reliance and the consumption of non-renewable sources of energy such as oil & gas. These factors further exacerbate the effects of climate change through increasing greenhouse gas emissions, and the formation of heat islands within the city. The livability within these cities also deteriorates significantly, proportionate to the sharp increase in population density, and poor urban planning.

It is well documented that an urban area that prioritizes automobile use to get from point A to point B, impacts the physiological and psychological health of the cities’ inhabitants. Pedestrians are much less inclined to walk or cycle to get anywhere, thus, obesity rates rise as they sit for long hours in their vehicles for daily commutes, children and pets are discouraged from going outside, given the risk of car accidents, and studies have shown that less time spent amongst greenery and natural landscapes for children negatively impacts their mental health throughout adulthood. While the psychological effects require an inquiry to notice, the physiological are directly apparent, for vehicle exhaust fumes have a direct causal link to diseases like emphysema, bronchitis, and a slew of other respiratory issues.

Cities should be centers within which we thrive, aspiring to greater heights, and enriching our lives, and it is within our hands to achieve this ideal. Through contemporary advancements in urban planning that favor walking or cycling to get to a destination, incentivize the use of renewable energy as a resource, incorporates green landscapes and lush forestry within the city, and puts in place efficient & effective transit systems for use by all, we can mitigate the effects of climate change and enhance the lives of people within cities.

The world now more than ever needs more innovations to save it. Join the 2nd edition of our “Health & Environmental Resilience and Livability in Cities (HERL)” conference in collaboration with the Department of Engineering, University of Perugia, Italy to be held online and get the chance to contribute and make a significant impact. The conference is a chance for scientists and researchers from around the globe to excavate solutions for the new environmental and health threats. IEREK welcomes participants with various scientific backgrounds and offers the opportunity to publish in the Scopus-indexed ASTI Book series by Springer.

Scope

The 2nd Edition of the international “Health & Environmental Resilience and Livability in Cities (HERL)” addresses multiple frontiers upon which mankind has to take action in efforts to combat the harmful effects of climate change on the globe. Focusing on human livability in cities, the conference promotes methods of sustainable design across cities’ founding elements, such as infrastructure, transit systems, architectural design, and green initiatives in urban planning & design. The scope of the conference additionally envelops innovations in environmental analysis and sensing methodologies, incorporating smart systems & the internet of things (IoT), as well as big data analytics, further developing environmental stability, and human livability.

Statement of purpose

The devastating effects of climate change are quickly becoming an inevitability that humanity will have to face unless we act. Gradually, the negative effects reciprocated upon us, due to our disregard for the environmental effects of our actions as a collective, will result in a majority of the world’s cities being uninhabitable. This conference aims to gather specialists & academics in the field of environmental resilience & livability, to highlight methods through which we can mitigate the oncoming negative effects of climate change, specifically in cities. The conference aims to additionally shed the spotlight on modern methods of environmental monitoring, and innovations in smart city design, that allow for a better forecast of the constant changes taking place upon our planet.