Diary

Citation

(2012), "Diary", International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, Vol. 13 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijshe.2012.24913daa.010

Diary

Article Type: Diary From: International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, Volume 13, Issue 4

2012 International Seminar and Workshop on Energy, Sustainability and Development

12-14 October, Sivasagar, Assam, India

Worldwide around 2.7 billion people rely on traditional biomass for cooking and heating, and 1.4 billion have no access to electricity, with one billion more having access only to unreliable electricity networks. The obstacles to energy access are not always technical. We know how to build power systems; design modern cooking stoves and meet energy demand efficiently. What is missing is a mobilisation of global commitment to harness energy access in the highest, the political and development platforms. The UN General Assembly resolution that designates 2012 as the “International Year of Sustainable Energy for All” encourages us to take advantage of the year to increase the awareness of the importance of addressing energy issues at local, national and international level. Hence, a stage is being sought to be raised to deliberate upon the issues.

In order to meet this need, the “International Seminar and Workshop on Energy, Sustainability and Development” is being organized, providing a common platform to scientists and researchers working on contemporary areas in physical sciences. It also aims to elicit and nurture the young talents in a creative environment and inspire them to join the main stream of advanced research. Further details are available at: http://sibsagarcollege.in/iswesd2012.html

Smart City Summit-2012

19-21 October, Guangzhou, China

The Smart City Summit-2012 will be held in Guangzhou, China. As the growth engine of national economies, cities are increasingly challenged to improve their competitiveness. Guangzhou continues to compete for investment with cities around the world and our success in winning foreign direct investment (FDI) over the coming decade will depend heavily on our key cities emerging as energy-efficient, technology-driven and consumer focused smart cities.

The Smart City can enhance the lives of citizens, encourage business to invest and create a sustainable urban environment. The conference will discuss these issues and outline future prospects. In particular, the Smart Cities Summit 2012 will examine how Guanghzou cities and regions can join the ranks of Asia’s most economically successful and sustainable cities. Thinking smart now will ensure that cities retain their competitive edge. Further details are available at web site: www.bitcongress.com

International Conference “Creating a Sustainable Business: Managerial Implications and Challenges” (ICSBMC-12)

7-9 December, Jaipuria Institute of Management, Jaipur, India

Sustainability is about “adding value” to the businesses with people, planet and good business decisions in mind. There are certain issues of sustainability which have serious ecological, social and economic implications for the stakeholders and the regulators. How to achieve sustainability in terms of business, looking at examples and scenarios, defining a set of guiding principles, and applying them into a business plan, shall be the focus of the conference.

The conference covers 11 themes based on sustainability in various areas for which papers are invited. Eminent speakers/experts from industry, academic institutions (India and abroad) and government shall address different sessions during the conference. Further details can be seen at web site: www.icsbmc12.jaipuria.ac.in

2013 Sustainable Consumption Research and Action Initiative

12-14 June, Clark University, Worcester, MA, USA

The Sustainable Consumption Research and Action Initiative (SCORAI) is organizing an international conference to be held on 12-14 June 2013, at Clark University in Worcester, MA. SCORAI is the North American knowledge network of professionals working to address challenges at the interface of material consumption, human fulfillment, lifestyle satisfaction, and technological change. Scholars working in the field of sustainable consumption are seeking to better understand the connections to chart transition pathways toward a more sustainable future. The aim is to formulate options for post-consumerist lifestyles, social institutions, and economic systems in wealthy countries of the global North. The 2013 Conference at Clark University will follow three previous SCORAI workshops held in North America at Clark (2009), Princeton (2011), and Vancouver (2012) and a Trans-Atlantic workshop in Austria (2012).

Contributions from interdisciplinary research are sought, which addresses, but is not limited to, such topics as: subjective and social wellbeing, socio-technical transitions, evolution of social practices in a technological society and their ecological impacts, local innovations in alternative systems of provisions and lifestyles (including grassroots initiatives), new economic and institutional models in the context of ecological limits, and the role and prospects for social movements toward a post-consumerist society (including the emergence of compelling future visions).

For more information about SCORAI and its newly launched sister organization SCORAI-Europe, please visit web site: www.scorai.org