EcoForum 2012

Tuesday, 31 January, 2012

From 7-9 March 2012, 21 speakers from a variety of backgrounds will share their thoughts and theories on sustainability at the annual EcoForum Conference & Exhibition at Australian Technology Park, Sydney.

Giovanni Cirillo has been the Executive Director of Urban Renewal and Major Sites at the NSW Department of Planning since early 2009. As such, he is well informed on the NSW Government’s plans for delivering sustainable urban renewal in Sydney and NSW - a program which focuses on the development of Sydney as a compact urban environment by the year 2036. Cirillo will be talking about this issue as one of the speakers at the upcoming conference and exhibition.

EcoForum 2012 is one of this year’s key events for environment industry practitioners and decision-makers, and is also a valuable opportunity for sustainability-focused professionals. Its multidisciplinary environment is a place where theory and practice mix. This year’s program focuses on remediation, waste, water, climate change and sustainability.

Cirillo will be just one of 21 speakers at the forum. He will be joined by academics, town planners, company directors, scientists and former politicians - and that’s just the other speakers! The event is expected to be attended by 600+ environment professionals and their clients who are interested in learning about and contributing to today’s environment industry. Attendees are encouraged to take part in any of the 37 discussion forums, while industry professionals will have a chance to develop business prospects and meet new collaborators and clients.

The event will be held over three days and include nine conference streams. The stream ‘Sustainable Engineering’ will be held on 7 March, with several speeches covering water and wetlands. Mary Howard, a stakeholder for the Hawkesbury River, The Office of Hawkesbury Nepean and the Hawkesbury Nepean Catchment Management Authority, will explain the link between aquatic ecosystems and sustainable cities, while John Argue will propose an alternative to complete flood management redevelopment.

Cirillo’s presentation will be the next day as part of the ‘Sustainable Cities’ stream. This will be introduced by keynote speaker Brian Howe AO, speaking on the vital need for a change in strategic planning for Australian cities. The other streams include: the business of sustainability, remediation, water, climate change, mine water management, waste and communication.