Hundreds of Environmental Scientists Gather on Rhodes for 16th CEST2019 Conference

Photo Source: @Global NEST

The island of Rhodes recently hosted 420 environmental and technology experts from 81 countries for the 16th International Conference on Environmental Science and Technology (CEST2019), which was held during September 4-7.

Attendees included academics, top experts, entrepreneurs, representatives of state and local authorities.

The issues discussed during CEST2019 were:

• Environmental biotechnology,
• Nanomaterials and their environmental applications,
• Methods for the determination of microplastics in environmental samples,
• Strategies and practices to diminish single-use plastics,
• The environmental impacts of maritime transport,
• Management, treatment and valorization of biowaste and residues in the agri-food sector, and
• Bioeconomy.

During the conference’s opening ceremony, non-governmental organization Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz International Prize for Water (PSIPW) – platinum sponsor of CEST2019 – awarded travel grants to students and researchers from low-income countries.

Also, CEST2019, in collaboration with the Athanasios Laskaridis Charitable Foundation, supported the efforts for the elimination of single-use plastics. Therefore, CEST2019 was announced a single-use-plastic free event, and participants used exclusively recyclable or biodegradable materials. Furthermore, the conference’s material was distributed online, saving paper, energy and natural resources.

Rhodes island. Photo Source: Visit Greece / K. Vergas

CEST2019 was organized by Global NEST in collaboration with the University of the Aegean, the South Aegean Region, the University of Salerno and the Imperial College London.

The conference was held under the auspices of the Ministry of Environment and Energy with the support of UNESCO’s World Water Assessment Program, the European Water Association (EWA) and the Athanasios Laskaridis Charitable Foundation.

The 17^th edition of CEST will be held in 2021, with submissions starting next year.