Source: Department of Earth Science
Written by: Center for Earth Environment & Resources
Translated by: Li Yingkui, Liu Xinyi, Shen Hui
Edited by: Wang Dongmei

On October 24-26, the GD-FORHEAD (Guangdong Platform on Earth Environment, Health and Development) Forum 2013 was successfully held in Sun Yat-sen University. The forum was jointly organized by Center for Earth Environment & Resources of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou City Sustainable Development Research Association, and Social Science Research Council (SSRC) in the United States. More than 60 people from environment, health and relevant fields attended the forum, including natural science experts, social science scholars, government officials, NGO representatives and media reporters.
Professor Zhou Yongzhang, Director of Center for Earth Environment & Resources of Sun Yat-sen University and President of Guangzhou City Sustainable Development Research Association, presided over the forum and delivered a keynote speech. Other keynote speakers included Dr. Jennifer Holdaway from Social Science Research Council in the US; Professor Yang Zhongyi, Professor Li Zhiping, Dr. Wang Mao and Dr. Lin Chenggong form Sun Yat-sen University; Researcher Kuang Yaoqiu and Researcher Peng Xianzhi from Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences; Researcher Wu Dui from Guangdong Meteorological Bureau; Researcher Ma Wenjun from Guangdong Provincial Center for Disease Control (CDC); Researcher Zhao Xikang from Guangdong Academy of Social Sciences; Researcher Guo Yanhua from Guangzhou Academy of Social Sciences; Professor Tang Hao from School of Politics and Administration, South China Normal University; Researcher Chen Nengchang from Guangdong Institute of Eco-environment and Soil Sciences; and Dr. Fu Shanming from School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University.

The themes of the forum covered challenges in the sustainable development of Guangdong; mining industries, health problems and environmental management; atmospheric PM2.5 and health risks; environmental elements and water pollution; industrial transfer and health risks; environmental cognition, policy and law; as well as interdisciplinary research methods in environment, health and development. In addition, the forum discussed interdisciplinary collaboration in environment, health and development, and drew a perspective for the future of GD-FORHEAD.

The GD-FORHEAD is aimed at promoting interdisciplinary research on the earth environment, health and development in Guangdong province, especially the environment, heath risks and strategies in the Pearl River Delta Region. The platform intends to advance corporation between natural scientists, social scientists and policy makers, analyze related problems from various perspectives and angles, put forward suggestions to improve the level of environmental and health management in China, and promote coordination between earth environment, health and society.