The 2013 Youth Scientist Forum on Air Pollution and Climate Change and the inaugural meeting of the aerosol expert committee of the Jiangsu Particuology Society  was held on Oct. 25-26 in Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology. The meeting was jointly hosted by the School of Atmospheric Sciences of Nanjing University, Atmospheric Physics Institute of Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Nanjing Environmental Science Institute, the Atmosphere Chemistry Branch of the Jiangsu Meteorology Society, and the Aerosol Expert Committee of the Jiangsu Particuology society. The meeting was intended to exchange latest outcome on air pollution and climate change, and enhance cooperation among young scientists.

Prof. Ye Qian from Integrated Risk Governance group of ESPRE was invited to the meeting and made a report on “Environmental Creep – New Challenge of Atmospheric Environmental Science from Social Perspective”. Meanwhile, Associate Prof. Duan Hongxia, He Tao, and Qiu Yizheng from Prof. Ye’s research group extended the definition of catastrophe based on social-ecological system theoretical framework and environmental creep concept, which is, catastrophe not only involves human being and property loss, but also related with social and regime issues. Regarding the smog in the winter of 2013 in Beijing, they analyzed the social and system response to the incident, and believed that the smog should be considered as a catastrophe from social and ecological perspective. Meanwhile, smog is also a typical environmental creep phenomenon. It shall be tackled and prevented in the approach as that for catastrophe integraed governance and environmental creep.