19-21 May 2010 | dbb forum berlin, Berlin, Germany

As a man-made hazard affecting limited natural resources in specific locales as much as the atmosphere at large, spontaneous coal seam fires are a delicate object of scientific research. Their very complex nature responds to a whole range of disciplines and necessitates a concerted interdisciplinary and international effort for effective mitigation. The repercussions of the phenomenon spread right into the realm of society and politics.

The Second International Conference on Coal Fire Research (ICCFR2) aimed to provide the background knowledge which is needed for successful detection, fighting, and environmental assessment of coal fires. Targeting a problem of truly global concern, these tasks require sound scientific handling and expertise. ICCFR2, hence, was designed to rally the international vanguard of coal fire research. With 120 attendees from 20 countries, including sizable delegations from coal fire hotspots such as China, India, South Africa, and the U.S.A., the conference truly turned out what it aspired to be: an international forum for this broad and diverse discipline, bridging the science, economics, and politics of coal fires!