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The U.S. Society for Ecological Economics (USSEE) will hold its 2013 Conference on June 9-12 at the University of Vermont (UVM) in Burlington, Vermont hosted by the Gund Institute for Ecological Economics.

There is one month until the February 15th deadline to submit your abstracts for USSEE 2013! The Organizing Committee welcomes a variety of proposal formats, including paper, panel, poster, and workshop submissions relevant to the trans-disciplinary field of ecological economics, especially as they relate to the conference themes.

Our 7th Biennial meeting will aim to take a critical look at sustainability lessons learned at local, regional, and state levels and identifying solutions that can be scaled up.

Overall Conference Theme

· Building Local, Scaling Global: Implementing Solutions for Sustainability

Implementing Themes

• Re-Building The Biophysical Base Of Ecological Economics
• Bridging Ecological And Behavioral Economics
• Designing Social Policy And Education For The Anthropocene

Underlying Sub-Themes

•  Ecological Economics in Practice
•  Ecological Economic Communication

Please visit the Call for Papers page to submit your presentation ideas using our online form. Abstracts are due by February 15, 2013.

For questions, please contact conference organizers at [email protected] or call UVM’s Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources at (802) 656-1353.

Abstracts will be reviewed by the Scientific Committee, chaired by John Gowdy, former president of both the USSEE and ISEE.

The Organizing Committee encourages you to spread the word about USSEE 2013 and this Call for Proposals. We look forward to seeing you in Vermont this June!

Leading companies will showcase innovative systems for wind-, bio- and hydro energy, solutions for increasing the energy efficiency, e-mobility and environmental services.  

The Congress topics: Financing of EE & RES Projects, Energy Efficiency, RES Electricity, Bio Energy, etc. A highlight in the program will be the topic ‘Smart energy storage’.

Delegates will have also excellent opportunity to see at one place plenty of new products and services at the parallel EE & RES, SEE Solar and Waste Management, Recycling & Environment Exhibitions.

Exhibitor Profile:  

RES: Bioenergy; Geothermal; Solar Thermal and PV; Wind Energy; Energy Efficiency: Cogeneration; Energy-Efficient Equipment and Technologies in Industry and Construction; Retrofitting of Buildings; Passive Houses; E-Mobility.

Visitor Profile:  

Agriculture; Chemical Industry; Construction, Architecture; Consulting, Ecology (Waste Management & Recycling); Electronics; Power Engineering; Energy-Saving Technologies; Finance; Food Industry; Investment; Machine Building and Metallurgy; Packaging; Renewable Energy; State and Municipality Administration and Tourism.

Post Event Report 2012: www.eeandres.viaexpo.com/upload/en/PostEventReport_eng.pdf

Testimonials: www.eeandres.viaexpo.com/en/exhibition/testimonials

Press releases: www.eeandres.viaexpo.com/en/news/press-releases

Photogallery: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151497502250241.837828.494171385240&type=3  

Organiser: Via Expo

http://www.eeandres.viaexpo.com/en/exhibition/  

Profile: Solar PV & Thermal Systems and Technologies

Demand toward forest sector is expected to increase in the next decades not only for traditional sector but also for bio-energy, biochemical and by-products. Lessening the pressure for wood production, tree planting has released natural forests to be managed for other purposes -carbon sinks, soil and water protection, conservation of biological diversity, recreation and amenity. Representing a complement, but not an alternative, to natural forests, planted forests have become increasingly important for reducing worldwide deforestation, loss of forest ecosystems and forest degradation (FAO, 2009).

Planted forests are composed of trees established through planting and/or through deliberate seeding of native or introduced species. Establishment is either through afforestation on land that until then was not classified as forest, or by reforestation of land classified as forest, for instance after a fire or a storm or following clear felling (FAO 2010).

Planted forests yield a diverse range of wood, fibre, fuel and non-wood forest products for corporate and smallholder investors pursuing commercial or subsistence purposes. They can also provide a number of social and environmental services, ranging from rehabilitation of degraded lands, combating desertification, soil and water protection, sequestering and storing carbon, recreation and landscape amenity. Planted forests conserve genetic resources and provide shelter, shade and fodder for livestock . They deliver valuable services to urban populations, particularly in arid zones, by mitigating sand-storms, preventing sand-drift and recycling waste water. Responsible management of planted forests can reduce pressures on indigenous forests for forest products and allow them to be designated for other protective and conservation purposes. They can also complement and supplement the REDD and REDD + initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries. As such, planted forests have multiple values, many of which cannot be provided by other types of land use.

Planted forests are long-term investments that require awareness and diligence in policy and planning, but particularly in management practices in order to avoid negative impacts. This relates to the selection of germplasm, nursery production, site preparation, establishment, tending, weeding, silviculture, protection and harvesting interventions. Unfortunately, planted forests have not always lived up to their potential. The causes for failures of planted forests in the past include inappropriate governance frameworks and insufficient application of established knowledge, technology and techniques. The lack of capacity and capability in providing enabling policies, laws, regulations, plans and technical support systems have lead to controversy and poor management of planted forests. Some planted forest investments have produced land-use, social, cultural and environmental conflicts, as well as unsustainable management practices.

Two international conferences on planted forests have been held previously, in Chile in 1999 ( http://www.globalregister.co.nz/evergreen/reports/roleofforests.pdf) and New Zealand in 2003 ( www.un.org/esa/forests/pdf/cli/report-nz-plantedforests-sfm.pdf) . Both of these conferences highlighted the need to promote the multiple dimensions of Sustainable Forest management (SFM) in view of the social and environmental challenges of the 21 st century. Since then, new research, global assessments of planted forest resources and outlook studies for wood from planted forests, best practice guidelines and many interesting cases of country applications from around the world have documented and further emphasized the global significance of planted forests. In parallel, international processes and financing mechanisms have increasingly recognized the central role of planted forests for mitigating climate changes, conserving biodiversity and combating land degradation. In contrast to these positive developments, negative social and environmental impacts of planted forests have given rise to concern.

It is therefore timely to investigate the contribution of planted forests to sustainable development in the context of global changes and to organize a Third International Congress on Planted Forests. Central topics would include the sustainability of planted forests in the context of changing climates and the future role of planted forests in envi ronmental protection and REDD+. The aim is to address issues surrounding planted forests today, their productive, environmental and social functions and the challenges they present. The target audience includes forest scientists, policy makers, the private forestry sector and forest managers.
 

Registration will open in November

For more information, click here.

Demand toward forest sector is expected to increase in the next decades not only for traditional sector but also for bio-energy, biochemical and by-products. Lessening the pressure for wood production, tree planting has released natural forests to be managed for other purposes -carbon sinks, soil and water protection, conservation of biological diversity, recreation and amenity. Representing a complement, but not an alternative, to natural forests, planted forests have become increasingly important for reducing worldwide deforestation, loss of forest ecosystems and forest degradation (FAO, 2009).

Planted forests are composed of trees established through planting and/or through deliberate seeding of native or introduced species. Establishment is either through afforestation on land that until then was not classified as forest, or by reforestation of land classified as forest, for instance after a fire or a storm or following clear felling (FAO 2010).

Planted forests yield a diverse range of wood, fibre, fuel and non-wood forest products for corporate and smallholder investors pursuing commercial or subsistence purposes. They can also provide a number of social and environmental services, ranging from rehabilitation of degraded lands, combating desertification, soil and water protection, sequestering and storing carbon, recreation and landscape amenity. Planted forests conserve genetic resources and provide shelter, shade and fodder for livestock . They deliver valuable services to urban populations, particularly in arid zones, by mitigating sand-storms, preventing sand-drift and recycling waste water. Responsible management of planted forests can reduce pressures on indigenous forests for forest products and allow them to be designated for other protective and conservation purposes. They can also complement and supplement the REDD and REDD + initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries. As such, planted forests have multiple values, many of which cannot be provided by other types of land use.

Planted forests are long-term investments that require awareness and diligence in policy and planning, but particularly in management practices in order to avoid negative impacts. This relates to the selection of germplasm, nursery production, site preparation, establishment, tending, weeding, silviculture, protection and harvesting interventions. Unfortunately, planted forests have not always lived up to their potential. The causes for failures of planted forests in the past include inappropriate governance frameworks and insufficient application of established knowledge, technology and techniques. The lack of capacity and capability in providing enabling policies, laws, regulations, plans and technical support systems have lead to controversy and poor management of planted forests. Some planted forest investments have produced land-use, social, cultural and environmental conflicts, as well as unsustainable management practices.

Two international conferences on planted forests have been held previously, in Chile in 1999 ( http://www.globalregister.co.nz/evergreen/reports/roleofforests.pdf) and New Zealand in 2003 ( www.un.org/esa/forests/pdf/cli/report-nz-plantedforests-sfm.pdf) . Both of these conferences highlighted the need to promote the multiple dimensions of Sustainable Forest management (SFM) in view of the social and environmental challenges of the 21 st century. Since then, new research, global assessments of planted forest resources and outlook studies for wood from planted forests, best practice guidelines and many interesting cases of country applications from around the world have documented and further emphasized the global significance of planted forests. In parallel, international processes and financing mechanisms have increasingly recognized the central role of planted forests for mitigating climate changes, conserving biodiversity and combating land degradation. In contrast to these positive developments, negative social and environmental impacts of planted forests have given rise to concern.

It is therefore timely to investigate the contribution of planted forests to sustainable development in the context of global changes and to organize a Third International Congress on Planted Forests. Central topics would include the sustainability of planted forests in the context of changing climates and the future role of planted forests in envi ronmental protection and REDD+. The aim is to address issues surrounding planted forests today, their productive, environmental and social functions and the challenges they present. The target audience includes forest scientists, policy makers, the private forestry sector and forest managers.

 Registration will open in November

For more information, click here.

Conference Objective

• Valuation of Ecosystem Services
• Market Mechanisms for Ecosystem Services
• Institutional Arrangement for Ecosystem Services
• Land Tenure Reform and Supply of Ecosystem Services
• Role of Ecosystem Services in Green Economy

A Payment for Environmental Services (PES) workshop will take place in Poblet, Catalonia as part of the Sylvamed Project.Hosted at the Poblet Monestary, pilot studies on PES in Catalonia will be presented to regional stakeholders and participants will have the opportunity to discuss the valuation of environmental services.  

SylvaMED (2010-2013) is a european territorial cooperation project, part of the MED transnational program that intends to facilitate innovative integration of forests environmental services into regional policies through to demonstrate that PES and MBI systems are feasible and sustainable both environmentally and economically in our mediterranean rural communities, providing for both long-term conservation of natural resources and additional income for local populations.

Read more about the event here.  

The aim of this conference is to highlight the growing importance of conserving and restoring soil organic carbon for a multiple of win-win benefits within various land type and land use settings.  

 The International Organization for Migration (IOM) will conduct a two-day training for Asia-Pacific policy makers and practitioners on the migration-environment nexus, in collaboration with the Foresight Programme (Government Office for Science, UK), the Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The training aims to build the capacity of policy makers and practitioners to address migration challenges within climate change, development and environment policies and strategies. The training will also facilitate exchanges among policymakers and practitioners on climate change, environment and migration, with a particular focus on migration management policies. The training will be held back to back with the Asia-Pacific Climate Change Adaptation Forum.  

Read more about the event here.

Today more than ever, conservation practitioners find themselves leading in increasingly complex political and social situations.  In this webinar Kinship Faculty member and 2007 Kinship Fellow Christine Ageton will explore some of the emerging leadership models that are addressing this need and use a real life case study faced by 2007 Fellow Gaya Sriskanthan to see how leadership theory is applied in real time.