New Book: Climate Change, the Indoor Environment, and Health

Climate Change, the Indoor Environment, and Health By Committee on the Effect of Climate Change on Indoor Air Quality and Public Health, By Institute of Medicine

• Publisher: National Academies Press
• Published: 31 August 2011
• Format: Paperback 320 pages
• ISBN 13: 9780309209410 ISBN 10: 0309209412

Description

The indoor environment affects occupants' health and comfort. Poor environmental conditions and indoor contaminants are estimated to cost the U.S. economy tens of billions of dollars a year in exacerbation of illnesses like asthma, allergic symptoms, and subsequent lost productivity. Climate change has the potential to affect the indoor environment because conditions inside buildings are influenced by conditions outside them.
Climate Change, the Indoor Environment, and Health addresses the impacts that climate change may have on the indoor environment and the resulting health effects. It finds that steps taken to mitigate climate change may cause or exacerbate harmful indoor environmental conditions. The book discusses the role the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) should take in informing the public, health professionals, and those in the building industry about potential risks and what can be done to address them. The study also recommends that building codes account for climate change projections; that federal agencies join to develop or refine protocols and testing standards for evaluating emissions from materials, furnishings, and appliances used in buildings; and that building weatherization efforts include consideration of health effects.
Climate Change, the Indoor Environment, and Health is written primarily for the EPA and other federal agencies, organizations, and researchers with interests in public health; the environment; building design, construction, and operation; and climate issues.

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New Book: The New Economics of Sustainable Consumption: Seeds of Change (Energy, Climate and the Environment) By Gill Seyfang

Publisher: Palgrave MacMillan

Published: 26 August 2011

Format: Paperback 240 pages

ISBN 13: 9780230321755 ISBN 10: 0230321755

Description

Climate change is forcing us to rethink our lifestyles, but green consumerism won't save the planet. Mainstream approaches simply cannot deliver the radical changes we need for a sustainable society. This book, now available in paperback, offers a fresh look at sustainable consumption, presenting a holistic "New Economics" approach. It explores how grassroots community actions for sustainability are experimenting with new ways of working, measuring value and progress, and expressing ecological citizenship.

Local organic food systems, low-impact eco-housing, and complementary currencies are examined to measure their success at delivering localized economies and inclusive communities, enabling people to reduce their ecological footprints, harnessing collective energies and building new forms of social organization. Viewing these activities as innovative "green niches," the book explores the opportunities for grassroots innovations to spread and influence wider society, and the barriers preventing them achieving their potential.

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7th AOSCE Congress from 3 - 7 March

Date: 3 to 7 March 2012
Venue: Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Malaysia

The theme for this congress is “Overcoming Challenges in The 21st Century”.  This congress will provide a great opportunity for endocrinologists to share their experiences and to discuss the various challenges that are being faced in this field. It is also a good opportunity to see how various collaborations can make significant contributions to our science field.

Organized by: Asia and Oceania Society for Comparative Endocrinology

Website: http://aosce.org/
Contact name: Susana

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Call for papers: The Seventh Annual Conference The Asian Studies Association of Hong Kong (ASAHK)

Date: 2 to 3 March 2012
Venue: Hong Kong Shue Yan University, Hong Kong, China

Call for papers
The Asian Studies Association of Hong Kong (ASAHK) invites scholars, researchers, and postgraduate students from all disciplines in the humanities and social sciences to propose papers and panels for its Seventh Annual Conference. Conference participants are welcome to address issues in the study of Asia from a range of fields such as anthropology, business studies, communication, culture, economics, education, environment, film, gender and sexuality, health, history, literature, management, media, philosophy, politics, psychology, religion, and sociology.

Organized by: ASAHK and Contemporary China Research Center, Hong Kong Shue Yan University
Deadline for abstracts/proposals: 10 Feb 2012

Website: http://fs3.hksyu.edu/~ccrchasahk/
Contact name: Thomas Yuen

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"Environment Hong Kong 1986 - 2011" published

The report has been published to commemorate the 25th Anniversary of the EPD. It summarises the progress that has been made by the EPD, in partnership with the community, to enhance environment and quality of life in the past 25 years.















For more information: http://www.epd.gov.hk/epd/english/resources_pub/publications/pub_reports_ap.html

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Call for papers: National Seminar on Depletion of Forests and Livelihood Concerns

Date:17-18 February 2012
Venue: Bangalore, India

In the backdrop of the just concluding international year of forests; The Department of ZOOLOGY, Christ University, Bangalore is organizing a National Seminar on 'Depletion of forests and Livelihood concerns'.

Organized by: Christ University
Deadline for abstracts/proposals: 10 February 2012

Website: http://www.christuniversity.in/msgdisplay.php?id=86259&f=1

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International Conference On Renewable Energy Utilization (ICREU 2012)

Date: 4 - 6 January 2012
Venue: Coimbatore, Tamilnadu, India

To promote research and development in the renewable energy utilization to empower rural and urban population from global warming.
Organized by: Dept. Of EEE, Coimbatore Institute of Technology and Okhlakama State University, Stillwater, USA

Website: http://www.icreu2012.com

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Seminar on Energy Security and Geopolitics in the Arctic: Challenges and Opportunities in the 21st Century

Dates: 09 – 10 January 2012
Time:  9:00am to 5:00pm
Location: Temasek Room, Traders Hotel
Venue: Traders Hotel
             Temasek Room
             1A Cuscaden Road
             Singapore 249716

Organized by Energy Studies Institute, National Unversity of Singapore

Abstract:The melting of the Arctic ice cap is presenting a number of environmental, economic, geopolitical and energy-related challenges and opportunities both for its littoral states as well as the broader international community. First, the possibility of substantially rising sea levels stemming from the Arctic region’s warming is of great concern at the regional and the global levels. Second, if the ice continues to recede, the Arctic region’s immense resource potential (energy and otherwise), as well as the likely feasibility of new seasonal inter-continental maritime routes for trade, will be of obvious significance for state players, especially those in Europe, Asia and the Americas engaged in international trade. These two broad clusters of concerns have already contributed to disputes at least between some of the concerned states. More importantly, they are likely to continue to fuel tensions and conflicts over a wide array of interests between and among states and/or regional groupings.

To better understand the legal, political, energy, military/security and environmental stakes for the Arctic’s littoral states as well as the non-littoral states, the ESI is bringing together a group of experts with different experiences pertaining to the Arctic region. They include experts from the Arctic littoral states (Canada, Denmark, Norway, Russia and USA), the Greater Arctic region (Sweden, Finland and Iceland) and the major states and a regional grouping with an interest and a capability to engage in the Arctic (Australia, Japan, South Korea and European Union). Both general and country-specific issues of significance to the Arctic region will be covered at the conference.

For more details: http://www.esi.nus.edu.sg/eventitem/2011/12/12/energy-security-and-geopolitics-in-the-arctic-challenges-and-opportunities-in-the-21st-century

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Call for paper: 3rd International Conference on Climate Change and Sustainable Management of Natural Resources

Date: 5 - 7 February 2012
Venue: Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, India



The international Conference (TIMS-12) on "Climate Change and Sustainable Management of Natural Resources" features an outstanding technical programme including keynote speeches, panel discussion, oral and poster sessions and cultural programme. As the conference topics are multi-disciplinary in nature, technical sessions will be arranged in different parallel sessions.

Organized by: ITM University, Gwalior (M.P.)
Deadline for abstracts/proposals: 30 December 2011

Website: http://www.itmuniversity.ac.in/TIMS/

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The 2nd Congress of the East Asian Association of Environmental & Resource Economics (EAAERE)

Date: 2 - 4 February 2012
Venue: Bandung, West Java, Indonesia

Organized by: Faculty of Economics Padjadjaran University

The problem of climate change and the paradigm shift toward the green economy has made our field, environmental and resource economics, never been more central in the global scientific and public policy discourse. The congress programme will cover those important issues along with wider areas of environmental and resource economics. We expect around 200 participants from East Asia and beyond, in their capacities as researchers, professionals, policy makers, as well as international organizations representatives engaged in various activities in the congress.

Website: http://eaaere2012.org/

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Call for papers: National Conference on Forest, Environment and Climate Change: Issues and Challenges

Date: 30 to 31 January 2012
Venue: Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh, India

This national conference is aimed at providing a common platform to forest scientists, environmentalists, researchers, sericulturists, industrialists, NGOs, farmers, entrepreneurs and forest officers for brain storming on national and global issues related to ‘FOREST, ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE’ to make recommendations for better planning and development of forests, environment and mitigation of climate changes.

Organized by: Department of Forestry, Wildlife & Environmental Sciences, Guru Ghasidas University

Deadline for abstracts/proposals: 8 January 2012 
Website: http://ggu.ac.in/download/national_conference_forestry_2012.pdf

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The National Congress on Good Governance 2012

Date: 13-15 January 2012
Venue: Quezon City, Metro Manila, Philippines

Organized by: UP NCPAG Student Government

The National Congress on Good Governance 2012 will provide a venue for the nation's future leaders and public servants to critically discuss and examine the relevance of public administration and governance theories to the current social issues facing the country. This year's theme is "Enhancing the Relevance of the Youth in Achieving Sustainable Human Development through Grounded Public Administration and Governance in Philippine Society." This revolves around  the application theory and practice of public administration and governance in the Philippines to be able to achieve the Philippine development objectives. The youth participants will be engaged in various activities to be able to have a wide perspective on the country's social problems and to share action-oriented and sustainable answers to these issues.

Website: http://www.ncgg.weebly.com

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Call for paper: National Conference On Environmental Surveillance for Natural Resource Management (ESNRM – 2012)

Date: 9 - 10 January 2012
Venue: Jalgaon, Maharashtra, India

Conference focuses on air, water and soil monitoring and innovative processes for sustainable resource management, it is expected that the environmental issues and status of resource will be discussed during proceedings of the conference.

Organized by: School of Environmental and Earth Sciences, North Maharashtra University, Jalgaon
Deadline for abstracts/proposals: 28 December 2011

For more details: http://www.nmu.ac.in/circulars/Events/NCESNRM%20Jan%202012.pdf

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2012 International Conference on Clean and Green Energy (ICCGE 2012)

Date: 05-07 January 2012
Venue: Hong Kong, China



2012 International Conference on Clean and Green Energy (ICCGE 2012) is the premier forum for the presentation of new advances and research results in the fields of theoretical, experimental, and applied Clean and Green Energy. The conference will bring together leading researchers, engineers and scientists in the domain of interest from around the world.

Enquiries: iccge@cbees.org
Web address: http://www.iccge.org/cfp.htm
Sponsored by: IACSIT

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New Book: Nuclear Power and the environment by R.M. Harrison

Nuclear Power and the Environment

Edited by R.M. Harrison, Edited by R. E. Hester, Contributions by John Walls, Contributions by Francis Livens, Contributions by Jim Smith, Contributions by Jon Lloyd, Contributions by Anthony Banford, Contributions by Kath Morris, Contributions by Joanna Renshaw

 

Publisher: Royal Society Of Chemistry

Published: 26 August 2011

Format: Hardback 246 pages

ISBN 13: 9781849731942 ISBN 10: 1849731942

Synopsis

The environmental implications of generating electric power from nuclear fission have been a matter of concern since the construction of the earliest nuclear reactors and power stations in the 1950s. After two or more decades of construction of nuclear power stations, this ceased in many countries, largely as a result of concerns for the environment and human health. However, the pressing need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is leading many countries to plan extensive new programmes of construction of nuclear power stations which serves to re-emphasise concerns over environmental impacts.

Volume 32 of the Issues in Environmental Science and Technology series is concerned with reviewing the political and social context for nuclear power generation, the nuclear fuel cycles and their implications for the environment. Known issues of nuclear accidents, the legacy of contaminated land and low level waste, and the decommissioning of nuclear sites are considered together with a more forward look at the deep geological disposal of high level waste and the pathways of radioactive substances in the environment and their implications for human and non-human organisms. This topical work will be of interest to scientists and policy makers working within this field or related areas as well as advanced students.

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New book: War and Nature: The Environmental Consequences of War in a Globalized World By Jürgen Brauer

War and Nature: The Environmental Consequences of War in a Globalized World By Jürgen Brauer

Publisher: AltaMira Press,U.S.

Published: 19 August 2011

Format: Paperback 252 pages

ISBN 13: 9780759112070 ISBN 10: 075911207X

Description

The inherent dangers of war zones constrain even the most ardent researchers, with the consequence that little has been known for certain about the effects of war on stable environments. War and Nature sifts through the available data from past wars to evaluate the actual impact that combat has on natural surroundings. Examining conflicts of various kinds—the long war in tropical Vietnam, the relatively brief and highly technical wars in the Persian Gulf, and various civil wars in Africa and South-Central Asia fought with small arms—Brauer asks whether differences in technology, location, and duration are critical in causing environmental and humanitarian harm. A number of unexpected conclusions are drawn from this data, including practical agendas for collecting scientific evidence in future wars and suggestions about what the world's environmental and conservation organizations can do. One thing War and Nature does is to show us how globalization can be a force harnessed for good ends.

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[China] Timetable for Reducing Pollution

2011-12-22

The Ministry of Environmental Protection on Wednesday laid out a detailed timetable for Chinese cities to monitor the smallest and most hazardous airborne pollutant, known as PM2.5.

The country's 113 key environmental protection cities will have to start monitoring PM2.5 in 2013, while all county-level cities should follow the rule by 2015.

"The deadline is Jan 1, 2016. By then the new air quality standards will apply to the whole country, and the monitoring results should be made public."

For full text: http://english.mep.gov.cn/News_service/media_news/201112/t20111222_221673.htm

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New Book: Human Rights and the Environment by Dinah Shelton

Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd

Published: 01 August 2011

Format: Hardback 1376 pages

ISBN 13: 9781849801386 ISBN 10: 184980138X

DescriptionIn this topical collection, Professor Dinah Shelton brings together seminal articles published since the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment that discuss and debate the linkages between human rights and environmental protection. This comprehensive two-volume set successfully encompasses the various approaches and thinking of the leading scholars in the field and is enhanced with an original introduction by the editor. This authoritative and timely book will be of great interest to lawyers, policy-makers, advocates and academics and will serve as an excellent reference tool for anyone with an interest in human rights and the environment.

Contents
30 articles, dating from 1990 to 2009 Contributors include: A. Boyle, R. Hiskes, M. Limon, J. May, J. Nickel, H. Osofsky, O. Pedersen, J. Sax, P. Taylor, R. Tsosie

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New Book: Protecting the Global Environment by By Gary C Bryner

Protecting the Global Environment by By Gary C Bryner

Publisher: Paradigm Publishers

Published: 01 August 2011

Format: Paperback 203 pages

ISBN 13: 9781594516757 ISBN 10: 1594516758

Description

Gary Bryner's brief, readable, capstone book:

• Features a forward by Mark A. Boyer


• Outlines the major environmental challenges facing the world today


• Applies international relations theory to these challenges


• Covers such key topics as development, sustainability, and market capitalism


• Offers a social justice perspective to environmental problems and solutions

Borne of an amalgam of social science, fieldwork, and a passionate commitment to justice, this book brings debates about climate change to a new level, compelling readers and researchers to rethink the reasons for reversing global environmental trends. The book lays out three inspirations for improving environmental prospects: effective markets, sustainable development, and environmental justice for the most vulnerable. It also projects three possible scenarios flowing from the success or failure of these inspirations—one bleak, one breakthrough, and one of status quo. Gary Bryner is not sanguine about humanity’s ability to make the right choices, but this does not deter him from asking us to think beyond our own generation and our own species in urging environmental action now.

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[S. Korea] President Lee calls for expanded corporate social responsibility

President Lee Myung-bak gave a keynote address at the B20 Business Summit held at the Martinez Hotel on November 2 (Photo courtesy of Cheong Wa Dae).

03 November 2011
The Korean president said that corporations are expected to play greater roles in fostering economic growth and reviving the global economy, while pointing out the widening income gap and the persistent problem of youth unemployment.

President Lee also emphasized government-level planning to create a more business-friendly environment -- including market liberalization and deregulation -- that spurs corporations to focus more on their core business activities. During the presentation, President Lee referred to the example of his own administration’s efforts to improve the business environment in this direction, which resulted in a significant increase in rank on the ease of doing business index. In 2011, Korea ranked eighth on the World Banks’ annual report, rising from 23rd in 2008.

For full text: http://www.korea.net/news.do?mode=detail&thiscode=eng030008&guid=59163

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New Book: Environmental Governance by J.P. Evans

Environmental Governance
By J.P. Evans


Published 14th December 2011 by Routledge – 254 pages


Series: Routledge Introductions to Environment: Environment and Society Texts








Description 


Climate change is prompting an unprecedented questioning of the fundamental bases upon which society is founded. Businesses claim that technology can save the environment, while politicians champion the role of international environmental agreements to secure global action. Economists suggest that we should pay developing countries not to destroy their forests, while environmentalists question whether we can solve ecological problems with the same thinking that created them. As the process of steering society, governance has a critical role to play in coordinating these disparate voices and securing collective action to achieve a more sustainable future. Environmental Governance is the only book to discuss the first principles of governance, while also providing a critical overview of the wide ranging theories and approaches that underpin policy and practice today. It places governance within its wider political context to explore how the environment is controlled, manipulated, regulated, and contested by a range of actors and institutions. This book shows how network and market governance have shaped current approaches to environmental issues, while also introducing emerging approaches such as transition management and adaptive governance. In so doing, it highlights the strengths and weaknesses of the different approaches currently in play, and considers their political implications. This text provides a groundbreaking overview of dominant and emerging approaches of environmental governance, drawing on cutting edge debates and forging critical links between them. Each chapter is complemented by case studies, key debates, questions for discussion and further reading. It is essential reading for students of the environment, politics and sociology, and, indeed, anyone concerned with changing society to secure a more sustainable future.

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EPD - The Statutory Ban against Idling of Motor Vehicle Engines

Background 

Allowing idling vehicles to run their engines causes air pollution, heat and noise nuisances and wastes fuel, thereby contributing to global climate change.  To tackle these environmental problems, the Administration introduced in April 2010 the Motor Vehicle Idling (Fixed Penalty) Bill to the Legislative Council (LegCo) after consulting the public.  After deliberation and scrutiny by the Bills Committee of the LegCo, the Bill was passed in March 2011.

Effective Date
  
The Ordinance comes into operation on 15 December 2011.

For more information:

http://www.epd.gov.hk/epd/english/environmentinhk/air/prob_solutions/idling_prohibition.html

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2nd International Conference on Energy, Environment & Sustainable Development (EESD-2012) from 27 to 29 February

Date: 27 to 29 February 2012
Venue: Jamshoro, Sindh, Pakistan

Organized by: Mehran University of Engineering & Technology
The EESD2012 conference is aimed to help energy and environmental professionals to meet their future challenges by exchange of ideas under the umbrella of the event. This event is designed to meet the needs of both researchers, policy makers and corporate sector alike and we work very closely with professional bodies and leading industry figures to promote the event widely engaging the right kind of audience for the event. EESD2012 will be organized with the collaboration of Higher Education Commission (HEC), Government of Pakistan and other stakeholder organizations.

Invited Speakers
1.    INTERNATIONAL
 Prof. Susan Buckingham, Brunel University, London, UK
Prof. Moh’d A. Al-Nimr, Jordan University of Science & Technology, Jordan
Prof. Xianguo Li, University of Waterloo, Canada
Prof. Dr. Sonja A Boehmer-Christiansen, Hull University, UK
Prof. Milorad Bojic, University of Kragujevac, Yugoslavia
Prof. Akhtar Kalam, Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia
Prof. B. K. Bala, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Bangladesh
Prof. Arnaldo Walter, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Brazil
Dr. Elvin Yuzugullu, SRA International, Inc., USA
Dr. A.J. Chaudhary, Brunel University, London, UK
Dr. Shahab Qureshi, Australia
Dr. Shunichi Honda, Ministry of the Environment, Japan
 Dr. Mushtaq Ahmed Memon, United Nations Environment Programme, Japan

2.     NATIONAL
Prof. Dr. Niaz Ahmed Akhter, National Textile University, FAISALABAD
Prof. Dr. Muzzaffar Mahmood, NED University of Engineering & Technology, KARACHI
Prof. Dr. Iftikhar Ahmad Raja, Department of Environmental Sciences, COMSATS, Institute of Information Technology, ABBOTTABAD
Prof. Dr. Saleem Raza Samoon, Quaid-e-Awam University of Engineering, Science and Technology, NAWABSHAH
Prof. Dr. Anjum Khalid, NED University of Engineering & Technology, KARACHI
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sohail Zaki Farooqi, Pakistan Navy Engineering College, NUST, KARACHI
Dr. Muhammad Pervaz, SAARC Energy Centre, ISLAMABAD
Dr. Riazuddin Abro, Principal, Institute of Industrial Electronics Engineering, PCSIR, KARACHI
Assoc. Prof. Dr.Kamran Muzaffar Khan, University of Engineering and Technology, TAXILA
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Tayab Jayed, Pakistan Institute of Engineering & Applied Sciences, ISLAMABAD
Prof. Dr. A K Ansari, University of Karachi, KARACHI

For more information: http://eesd.muet.edu.pk/

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Symposium on Electrochemical Energy Conversion: Research Highlights in Materials, Devices, and Mechanisms

Date: Friday, 30 December 2011, 08:50 to 12:50
Venue: Rayson Huang Theatre, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong

Organized and Sponsored by HKU Initiative on Clean Energy & Environment (HKUICEE)

'Sustainable development calls for renewable energy sources, utilization efficiency, and low carbon emission. Increasing electricity generation from the intermittent wind and solar sources has encountered bottlenecks in storage. Biomass derived fuels require unconventional conversion and consumption. While electricity is the most convenient energy form for stationary consumption, chemical energy is needed for mobile and transport applications. Efficient conversion between electrical energy and chemical energy plays a critical role in the development of a sustainable energy infrastructure. The mini-symposium of "Electrochemical Energy Conversion" provides highlights of research developments in fuel cells and batteries. There are contributions from different Asian Pacific countries addressing issues of materials, catalysts, reaction mechanism, and devices. '

Speakers
Prof. Dennis Y. C. Leung (The University of Hong Kong)
Prof. Jingli Luo (University of Alberta, Canada)
Prof. Sanjeev Mukerjee (Northeastern University, USA)
Prof. A. K. Shukla (Indian Institute of Science, India)
Prof. Shi-Gang Sun (Xiamen University, China)
Prof. Hiroyuki Uchida (University of Yamanashi, Japan)
Prof. Jong-Sung Yu (Korea University, Korea)
Host and moderator: Prof. Kwong-Yu Chan (The University of Hong Kong)

For latest details: http://icee.hku.hk/activities/eec/index.html

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Call for papers: 2012 International Conference on Climate Change and Humanity (ICCCH 2012)

Date: 26 to 28 February 2012
Venue: Singapore

'ICCCH is an international forum for state-of-the-art research in Climate Change and Humanity. 2012 International Conference on Climate Change and Humanity (ICCCH 2012) will be held in Singapore during  February 26-28, 2012. It is one of the leading international conferences for presenting novel and fundamental advances in the fields of Climate Change and Humanity. It also serves to foster communication among researchers and practitioners working in a wide variety of scientific areas with a common interest in improving Climate Change and Humanity related techniques.'

For latest details: http://www.iccch.org/index.htm
Enquiries: iccch@cbees.org
Sponsored by: CBEES

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International Conference on Environmentally Sustainable Urban Ecosystems (ENSURE 12)

Date: February 24-26, 2012
Venue: Guwahati, Assam, INDIA

Urbanization is occurring at a faster rate all over the world. In developing countries, the process of urbanization is more often unplanned and disorganized, resulting in various hazards due to ecological imbalance. Keeping this in mind, this conference is being organized to provide a platform for discussion among various relevant disciplines so that some meaningful practical strategies can be evolved to ensure sustainable development of urban areas located in ecologically sensitive zones.


Organized by: Centre of Excellence for Integrated Land-use Planning and Water Resource Management, Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Tehcnology Guwahati

For latest details: http://www.iitg.ernet.in/coeiitg/ensure/ensure.htm

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World Future Energy Summit 2012

World Future Energy Summit 2012

16-19 January 2012, Abu Dhabu, UAE

World Future Energy Summit is the world’s foremost annual meeting committed to advancing future energy, energy efficiency and clean technologies by engaging political, business, finance, academic and industry leaders to drive innovation, business and investment opportunities in response to the growing need for sustainable energy.

WFES includes a world class summit, an international exhibition, the Project Village, Round Table Discussions, the Young Future Energy Leaders program, corporate meetings and social events.

World Future Energy Summit represents an unrivalled business platform bringing together project owners and solution providers with investors and buyers from both the public and private sectors.

Source:  http://www.worldfutureenergysummit.com/

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Call for papers for a special issue addressing “Low Carbon and Eco-Cities in East Asia”

For the last several decades, we have witnessed unprecedented urbanization processes in East Asia. In China, for example, more than  660 million people live in 655 cities,  and  nearly 50%  of the population were urbanized by 2010. South Korea and Japan are even more highly urbanized (66% of
Japan’s population and 80% of South Korea’s population now live in urban areas: ADB 2010). While extensive urban growth  has garnered economic and social benefits  in densely concentrated and connected urban economies, this process has also created  pressing economic, social and environmental problems


Urban areas which account for only two percent of the Earth's surface generate almost 70 percent of anthropogenic  greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions  (Rosenzweig et al. 2010). However, the potential and capacity for cities to tackle climate change  should not be  underestimated. City governments
with support of citizens and local organizations are able to engage in climate change issues by setting
GHG emission reduction targets, implementing comprehensive climate change  mitigation and
adaptation policies, and monitoring and disclosing municipal governments’ performance.



Responding to critical challenges of rapid urban development and climate change, initiatives working
toward  a  ‘low carbon city’ or ‘eco-city’ aim to incorporate the concept of sustainable development
into urban planning and development. Harmonizing economic, social and environmental
development in urban areas is the key purpose for eco-city movements. The development of a low
carbon city is intended to address human-induced climate change by reducing GHG emissions and by
adjusting to climate change impacts.

Cities in East Asia have been  actively engaging in the issues of urbanization and climate change.
Adopting the concept of low carbon cities and eco-cities is commonly spreading out in this region, despite  remarkable differences  among these cities  in physical, economic, cultural, and political conditions. However, compared with burgeoning literature on climate change and the city in the US and Europe, little scholarly attention has been devoted to examining the role and efficacy of cities in pursing sustainable development and responding  to  climate change in East Asia.    Since the development of low carbon and eco-cities are closely related to urban studies, sociology, political
science, public policy and regional studies, we welcome interdisciplinary approaches. While we will give preference to low carbon and eco-cities initiatives in China, Japan, and Korea, studies on ecocities in other Asian regions are also welcome to contribute to enhance our understandings with a comparative perspective.

In this special issue, we will primarily address the following topics and questions:

• What are key  characteristics that distinguish the concepts of  eco-city, sustainable city and low carbon city?
• How do the concepts of eco-city  & low-carbon city play out in the context of East Asian countries? Why  have  some  initiatives become  more  successful  than  others?
• What are the main similarities and differences in the forms and practices of low-carbon and ecocities in the region?
• What are the roles of local governments, international organizations, NGOs, and business sectors in establishing low carbon and eco cities in East Asia?
• What motivates local governments to establish their own low carbon and eco-city initiatives? What are the barriers or challenges that cities face?
• How do local actors promote or contest the costs and benefits of low-carbon and eco-city initiatives?
• What case studies can help us to better understand the politics of such initiatives?
• How do central government policies influence planning and implementation of low carbon and ecocity policies with a perspective of multilevel governance? On the other hand, how can  central governments learn from the successes and failures of local level eco-city policies and initiatives?
• How do researchers and policy makers evaluate the development of eco-cities using measurable indices or indicators?
• Why do some cities internationally or domestically collaborate with  and learn from  other cities regarding low carbon or eco-cities? Which factors facilitate cooperative relations between cities?

Papers addressing any of these themes are welcome.  Up to seven papers will be selected for the
proposed special issue of a good regional studies journal (to be confirmed later).

Workshop: authors of selected papers will be invited to a workshop in Hong Kong in June, 2012, to
discuss the papers and special issue, with travel and accommodation costs provided by the
Governance in Asia Research Centre at City University of Hong Kong for those able to attend.
Details of the workshop will be announced later.



Full papers or title and abstract of a proposed paper should be sent to either of the organizers, by
January 30, 2012:


Dr. Taedong Lee
Assistant Professor
Department of Asian and International Studies
City University of Hong Kong
taedong.lee@cityu.edu.hk
Tel) +852 3442 2248
Fax) +852 3442 018

Dr. Bo Miao
Assistant Professor
Department of Asian and International Studies
City University of Hong Kong
bomiao@cityu.edu.hk
Tel) +852 3442 4482

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The 6th East Asia Regional Conference on Alternative Geographies from 13 to 16 Feb

Date: 13 to 16 February 2012
Venue: UKM-Bandar Baru Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia

'East Asia has changed drastically in these recent decades. Both society and environment have never since been the same again. Major and global economic, socio-cultural, political and environmental factors and forces have been at work shaping and re-shaping East Asia countries resulting in consequences and impacts that are as varied as they are complex.

The 6th East Asia Regional Conference on Alternative Geographies (EARCAG) seeks to recapitulate, gauge and overview some of the salient features of these massive regional transformations and deliberate on how globalisation and global change have been driving them.'

For more information: http://6thearcag-ukm.webs.com/

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Public Lecture on 13 Dec 2011 - "Climate Change, Urban Heat Island, and Human Health: Gaps and Needs in Global Urban Remote Sensing"

The Faculty of Construction and Environment, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, is going to hold a Public Lecture on “Climate Change, Urban Heat Island, and Human Health: Gaps and Needs in Global Urban Remote Sensing”. 

The lecture will be presented by Dr Qihao Weng, Professor of Geography, Department of Earth & Environmental Systems, Indiana State University.

Date: 13 December 2011 (Tue)

Time: 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Venue: Senate Room, M1603, Li Ka Shing Tower, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

An attendance certificate will be issued to each registered participant. Please register online on or before 9 December 2011 (Fri).

To register online or download the poster, please refer to the following link:

http://www.polyu.edu.hk/fce/events/20111213_lecture

Should you have any queries, please contact Miss Jady Chan at 2766 5029 or by email at cljady@inet.polyu.edu.hk.

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Call for papers: 2012 International Conference on Product Development and Renewable Energy Resources

Date: February 18-19, 2012
Venue: Coimbatore, India

The primary goal of the conference is to promote research and developmental activities in Product Development and Renewable Energy Resources. Another goal is to promote scientific information interchange between researchers, developers, engineers, students, and practitioners working in India and abroad.

All papers for the ICPDRE 2012 will be published in the IPCSIT (ISSN: 2010-460X) as one volume, and will be indexed by WorldCat, Google Scholar, Engineering & Technology Digital Library, and sent to be reviewed by Ei Compendex and ISI Proceedings.


Round III
Paper Submission (Full Paper)                 Before December 10, 2011
Notification of Acceptance                        On December 25, 2011
Final Paper Submission                           Before January 10, 2012
Authors' Registration                               Before January 10, 2012
ICPDRE 2012 Conference Dates               February 18 - 19, 2012

For more information:  http://www.iacsit.org/icpdre/

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Call for paper: International Seminar On GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES: CHALLENGES TO INDUSTRY, ECOLOGY AND SOCIETY

Date: December 24-25, 2011

Venue

Snehangshu Kanta Acharya Institute of Law (SKAIL),
University of Kalyani Campus, Kalyani,
Nadia, W.B, India


The key note address will be delivered by
Prof. George James, University of North Texas

Sub-Themes

• Global Environmental Problem: Issues and Challenges
• Environmental challenges and society’s response.
• Environmental challenges and ecological imbalance.
• Corporate Policy and accounting measures to the environmental issues.
• Climate change: Inter-play of natural and social scientific knowledge.
• Contemporary Eco-critical Discourses.
• Socio-legal Environmental Discourse.

Important Dates:

The last date for submission of full paper with the abstract	17-12-2011
Registration Deadline	21-12-2011

For more information: http://www.irdf.in/seminar-and-conference

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2nd Annual Green Buildings Asia 2011 from 22-25 Feb 2012

Date: 22-25 Feb 2011
Venue: Singapore

Buildings account for 35% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. With the introduction of stringent national energy efficiency regulations, property owners, developers and designers must act to build eco-friendly facilities that meet local and international standards and promote environmental sustainability.

The 3rd Annual Green Buildings Asia brings together Asia’s leading property developers, building owners, architects, sustainability experts, senior representatives from governments and green building councils, and eco-solutions providers to discuss opportunities and address issues and challenges in the built environment and sustainable architecture.

2012 Conference Themes:

• Latest green building regulations from Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore
• Presentations on different building types: school, conservatory, airport, mixedused tall buildings, healthcare facilities
• BIM for green buildings
• Next generation sustainable building materials and construction
• Landscape architecture and green roofing strategies for energy efficient buildings
• The collaborative roles of building owners, property developers, facilities managers and investors to promote the green agenda

For more information: http://www.greenbuildingsapac.com/index.php

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