On May 22-24, 2019, at the headquarters of IMGW-PIB in Warsaw the international events in the field of biometeorology and bioclimatology took place:

• International Conference UTCI - 10 years of applications in human bioclimatology,
• 1^st European Biometeorologists’ Regional Meeting,
• 1^st Forum of Polish Biometeorologists.

 

The organizers of the Conference and the Meeting were:

• Institute of Geography and Spatial Organization, Polish Academy of Sciences, Climate Impacts Laboratory
• Institute of Meteorology and Water Management - National Research Institute, Biometeorological Forecasts Unit
• University of Warsaw, Faculty of Geography and Regional Studies

 

Both events were organized under the auspices of the International Society of Biometorology and the Solco Walle Tromp Foundation.

The idea of organizing these events was initiated in 2017 during the 21^st International Biometeorological Congress in Durham (UK). 2019 was the year of two anniversaries: 20 years ago (1999) in Sydney the ISB Commission for developing the Universal Thermal Climate Index was set up and 10 years ago (2009) - a new universal indicator of thermal loads for man was developed.

The conference aimed to present and summarize the results of research carried out over the last 10 years using the UTCI index. Despite the short period since the creation of this index, it is now used worldwide in bioclimatic research, and has found many practical applications (e.g. in epidemiology, tourism, army). The UTCI indicator is also used in operational work by meteorological services of many countries, including Poland (in IMGW-PIB, http://pogodynka.pl/biometeo/utci).

At the 1^st European Biometeorologists’ Regional Meeting, the progress in biometeorological research, particularly in European countries was reviewed, which was the background for the discussion on the establishment of the international research networks. During the Meeting, an informational meeting of the COST projects was organized. COST is a program financed by the European Union enabling scientists to build interdisciplinary research networks in Europe, as well as beyond its borders.

In both, the Conference and Meeting attended 70 people representing 22 countries (Austria, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Germany, Great Britain, Israel, Italy, Japan, Korea, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Ukraine, USA). During the events 35 oral presentations were given and 23 posters were presented.

During the 1^st European Biometeorologists’ Regional Meeting the competition for the best young scientist poster was conducted. The award founded by Solco W. Tromp Foundation received PhD Sandra Słowińska for the poster entitled Long-term microclimate studies of peatlands as potential refugia of climate change.

Moreover, on May 22 the 1^st Forum of Polish Biometeorologists was organized. 25 people from various Polish research centers meet and discuss the theme Weather conditions in Poland and their assessment in the aspect of the occurrence of adverse health effects.

Website of the Conference and the Meetings: https://www.igipz.pan.pl/utci.html