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Discusses trends which will the air quality and environment. Effects of global warming; Implementation of the Kyoto Protocol; Energy demands; Hydrogen economy.

The article comments on the attempt of Clean Air Society of Australia & New Zealand (CASANZ) to influence policy, opinion, behaviour and action on environmental concerns. The concept of CASANZ is being more active in producing commentary and submissions on policy items of the day. Having a Policy Special Interest Group (SIGs) was regarded as important to get more policy input moving but it never got off the ground because these SIGs need champions to get them going and keep them running. There is need for a sort of committee, one whose role is to provide resources, to be a sounding board, to check that disasters aren't being generated, to ensure the case is well argued and supported by evidence and generally to perform basic risk management and to provide support for a CASANZ that is going to produce potentially controversial words and ideas out in the cruel harsh world. The committee has to be small, three to five people, no more. They have to be savvy about what can happen in the political/industrial/public arenas when a respected professional society makes pronouncements that may go against the grain.

Focuses on Clean Air Society of Australia and New Zealand's interaction with government policy initiatives. Science and technical focus; Process for formulating policy inputs.

Discusses the role that will be played by members of the Clean Air Society of Australia and New Zealand in the holding of the 14th World Clean Air and Environmental Protection Congress in Brisbane, Australia in September 2007. Neville Bollinger's acceptance of the responsibility of the chairman of the Brisbane organizing committee; Efforts to raise the profiles of Australia and New Zealand in the environmental protection sector; Need to push for increased public awareness about environmental problems.

Focuses on streamlining the activities of the Clean Air Society of Australia and New Zealand. Creation of the Executive Director position; Efficiency of Executive and Council meetings; Preparations for the 13th World Clean Air Congress in London.

Focuses on the evolution of information communication in time-pressured world. Need for precision in writing, workshops and conferences; Adoption of webconferencing; Promotion of online information exchange.

Notes the increasing connection between science and government policy in Australia. Highlights of the "Science Meets Parliament" day in Canberra and the Australian Transport Research Forum in New Zealand; Importance of effectively communicating scientific information to non-scientific decision-makers; Implications for environmental policy-making.

Discusses the justification for hydrogen economy or use of hydrogen as fuel. Security of supply; Reduction of greenhouse emissions; Urban air quality.

Reports on news and developments concerning the air quality and environment in New Zealand. New Zealand's ratification of the Kyoto Protocol; Study to determine health effects of air pollution; Changes at the senior level in the Ministry for the Environment.

Presents a commentary on the ways western scientists can benefit from their Soviet counterparts after experiencing a visit to the Institute of Experimental Mineralogy at Chernogolovka, Soviet Union. Research; Funding; Observations.