SACRAMENTO - Five winners of the 2016 Haagen-Smit Clean Air Awards will present brief presentations to the general public on their work, featuring breakthrough solutions and research on subjects ranging from air pollution in India to scalable solutions for the climate change problem.  

When: 2:30 to 4:30 PM, Wednesday, June 21, 2017

Where: Cal/EPA headquarters, Coastal Hearing Room, 1001 I St. (10th & I), Sacramento, CA

Who: Chet France, Dan Greenbaum, Joyce Penner, V. “Ram” Ramanathan and Anumita Roychowdhury
 

BACKGROUND on Clean Air Leadership Talks

The Clean Air Leadership Talks feature a 20-minute talk from each of the 2016 Haagen-Smit Award recipients. 


The New Politics of Clean Air

Chet France, formerly of the U.S. EPA, will review California’s, and the nation’s progress in cleaning up our air with an emphasis on transportation sources. Hear about current political realities that threaten to undo recent progress and future efforts to reduce criteria and greenhouse gas pollutants. Mr. France will share his insights on the nature of these threats and possible avenues to respond and find solutions.


Trusted Health Science for Air Quality in the Developed and Developing World 

Dan Greenbaum, President and CEO of the Health Effects Institute (HEI), has for more than two decades led HEI’s efforts to produce and communicate high-quality, relevant, and credible science on the health effects of particulate matter, ozone, air toxics and many other air pollutants. His work initially impacted decisions in the U.S., then in Europe and now it is making an impact worldwide through the Global Burden of Disease and The State of Global Air report and website. 


Climate Change and Aerosols: How Much Do Aerosols Mask Global Warming

Joyce Penner, Professor of Atmospheric Science at the University of Michigan, will review her role in the evolution of knowledge about aerosols and their cooling effects on climate and summarize where the field stands today.


Ten Scalable Solutions for the Climate Change Problem

V. "Ram" Ramanathan, Distinguished Professor of Climate and Atmospheric Sciences at Scripps Institutions of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, will share how climate change has become an urgent problem requiring urgent solutions. He will describe a list of 10 scalable solutions crafted by a team of 50 faculty from the University of California. Societal transformation emerged as one solution. One way to accomplish that is to form an alliance with faith leaders and religious institutions. Fortunately, there is still time to implement these solutions and avoid catastrophic consequences of unchecked climate change. 


The Right to Clean Air

Anumita Roychowdhury, Executive Director of the Centre for Science and Environment in India, will discuss how research, advocacy, and perseverance changed the air and saved lives in one of the dirtiest cities on earth.
 

Haagen-Smit Clean Air Awards Ceremony

The five honorees will receive their awards on Thursday, June 22, 2017, during the meeting of the California Air Resources Board, Byron Sher Auditorium, 1001 I Street, Sacramento, Calif. 95814. Approximate time: 9:00 AM.

VISUALS: The awards ceremony will be webcast. (https://video.calepa.ca.gov/)
Photos and video will be available after the award ceremony.

About the Haagen-Smit Clean Air Awards: The prestigious Haagen-Smit awards are given annually to those who have made outstanding contributions in the fields of clean air, climate change, technology and related policies. Considered to be California's premier air quality award, it is named for the late Dr. Arie Haagen-Smit, known as the “father” of air pollution science and control. The award recognizes those who have followed in his footsteps to advance efforts toward clean air goals. The Haagen-Smit Clean Air Awards have been presented since 2001. Winners have ranged from research scientists to educators to public agency administrators. Awardees are selected by a committee of former winners. For a list of all past award winners, please visit: https://www.arb.ca.gov/research/hsawards/winners/winners.htm (https://www.arb.ca.gov/research/hsawards/winners/winners.htm)