Thursday, April 26, 2012

'Landscape Functions and People' Bangkok Training Course Funding Assistance Application Deadline May 1

One of RECOFTC's most popular courses, Landscape Functions and People, will be held from 19-30 November, 2012 in Bangkok, Thailand. Interested applicants in need of financial assistance to participate must register by 1 May to qualify for funding. 

Nuffic NFP fellowships
A limited number of fellowships is available from Nuffic - the Netherlands Fellowship Programme (NFP) for nationals of certain countries. In order to apply for such a NFP fellowship, you have to register through the Nuffic Scholarship Online (SOL) system. Applications for NFP fellowships should be submitted before 1 May
2012. You will be informed by Nuffic whether your application has been accepted. More information on the NFP fellowships: www.cdi.wur.nl/UK/services/Courses/Fellowships

About Landscape Functions and People
The course offers participants an opportunity to familiarize themselves with current practices for landscape approaches. It will provide opportunities to develop practical skills and experience in the use of principles and tools applicable for landscape-level planning, monitoring, and implementation.
The course will equip participants to:
  • Understand the context, principles, and relevance of landscape approaches for natural resources governance in today's world
  • Understand how landscape-level planning processes can be developed and how they can be facilitated
  • Become familiar with a variety of tools for landscape-level strategic planning and gain experience in applying and adapting these in real-life situations
  • Understand how landscape approaches can contribute to improved decision making, sustainable management, and monitoring of natural resources
A variety of training approaches will be used. As with all our courses, the style will be participatory and hands-on. Course facilitators will encourage "learning by doing." Participants are expected to bring their own material to the course, allowing them to share their experiences with others. A web-based learning platform supports participants in applying their individual action plans and learning in their work situations.

The training program is spread over two weeks and includes three days of field work in Thailand to gain practical experience and skills.

More information available at the RECOFTC website.

Thursday, April 19, 2012

CALL FOR APPLICATIONS | CAS in Disaster Risk Reduction (CDRR) | EPFL | Switzerland-Bangladesh

Certificate of Advanced Studies in Disaster Risk Reduction (CDRR)

- Part 1 - 03 Sep - 30 Sep 2012 => Preparatory phase, E-learning
- Part 2 - 08 Oct - 19 Oct 2012 => Theoretical phase, EPFL, Switzerland
- Part 3 - 24 Nov - 02 Dec 2012 => Field work, Bangladesh
- Part 4 - 03 Dec - 31 Jan 2013 => Individual project

Deadline for Applications: 10 June 2012

http://cooperation.epfl.ch/CDRR_2012_Edition

The Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) is pleased to announce the Call for Applications for the Certificate of Advanced Studies in Disaster Risk Reduction (CDRR).

The 3rd edition of the CDRR seeks to strengthen the competences of practitioners in the field of disaster risk reduction in the context of climate change. The program favors an integrated and interdisciplinary approach to the issue, concentrating on the reduction of vulnerabilities and the strengthening of the capacities of populations at risk.

The program does not have a deep technical vocation, focusing more on a practical and field-oriented approach as a means of consolidating the theoretical component. Particular emphasis is placed on the issue of climate change as a factor in the increase of extreme hydrological, climatological or meteorological events. The immersion in two countries with distinct economic and socio-cultural realities, such as Switzerland and Bangladesh, is to highlight to participants the linkages between development cooperation and disaster risk reduction.

The program is structured in four parts, all which are compulsory. Part I (3 - 30 September 2012) involves a preparatory phase of e-Learning with access to compulsory and mandatory reading material to understand the basic concepts. Part 2 (8 - 19 October 2012), will be held at EPFL in Switzerland and will cover such modules as: Disaster Risk Management, Climate Change, Vulnerabilities and Capacities, Science and Technology in DRR. Part 3 (24 November - 2 December 2012) will be held in Bangladesh and mainly focus on field activities. Part 4 (3 December 2012 - 31 January 2013), consists of a personal project.

Upon completion, participants will be familiar with natural disaster risk management. They will be in a position to:

- Identify and asses disaster risks using risk management approaches;
- Interpret the current results of scientific research on climate change and its challenges to natural hazards, and identify appropriate measures in a specific situation;
- Apply methodological tools to assess vulnerabilities and strengthen adaptation.
- Improve their comprehension of the role and the challenges of science and technological innovations in disaster risk reduction, in an interdisciplinary manner.

Applicants must have a graduate or undergraduate degree and good English.

Full and/or partial grants may be offered to participants from developing and emerging countries that are not able to meet the total costs involved. Grants can cover tuition fees as well as accommodation and board in Switzerland and Bangladesh. Grants will NOT cover travel to Switzerland and Bangladesh, visa, insurance or any other costs incurred by participants for their private needs.

For full information and application procedure refer to our website http://cooperation.epfl.ch/CDRR_2012_Edition.

Please note that only applications submitted via the online submission system on the program webpage will be accepted.

You are encouraged to circulate this email to people and / or organizations who may be interested in this program.

Thank you for your support.

Sincere regards,

Eileen Hazboun
_______________________________________________
Cooperation & Development Center
UNESCO Chair in Technologies for Development

EPFL- VPAA - CODEV
Station 10 - 1015 Lausanne (Switzerland)
Email: cdrr@epfl.ch
Tel. +41 (0)21 693.60.48
http://cooperation.epfl.ch/CDRR_2012_Edition

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Kathmandu Call for Action adopted by the International Conference of Mountain Countries on Climate Change, 5-6 April 2012

Please find below full texts of the Kathmandu Call for Action adopted by the participants of the International Conference of Mountain Countries on Climate Change organised by the Government of Nepal from 5-6 April 2012 in Kathmandu, Nepal. The conference was technically supported by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) and number of other agencies including the Mountain Partnership Secretariat (MPS) Central Hub based at FAO in Rome, the World Bank and the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Kathmandu, Nepal. According to the organisers, the meeting was attended by environment and mountain affairs ministers from 10 countries in the global south (South and Central Asia, Africa and Latin America) and over 300 senior delegates and experts from other 25 countries making it truly international and high level event. Conference also witnessed a strong presence of Kathmandu based diplomats, donor communities, UN agencies, youth and media as well as local and indigenous communities.  This is an important step towards strengthening Mountain Agenda in preparation of Rio+20 meeting in next few months.


International Conference of Mountain Countries on Climate Change
5-6 April 2012

Kathmandu Call for Action

We, the Ministers, Heads of Delegations and Representatives of International and National organisations, having attended the International Conference of Mountain Countries on Climate Change held from 5 to 6 April 2012 in Kathmandu, Nepal;

Aware of the human-induced multiple impacts of climate change on mountain ecosystems, goods and services and implications on livelihoods, health and welfare of the mountain people and environment;

Recognizing the need for urgent, collaborative and effective actions at all levels for addressing climate-induced vulnerabilities and impacts on mountains, enhancing the well-being of climate vulnerable communities and also strengthening the climate resilience of the people of mountainous countries; and

Applauding the Government of Nepal for starting the Mountain Initiative;

Appreciating the international expert consultation on mountains and climate change and taking note of their recommendations;

Also appreciating the South Asian Parliamentarians’ Workshop on Climate Change and taking note of their recommendations;

Hereby express our resolve to:
1.       Reaffirm the spirit of solidarity and cooperation among the mountain countries and countries with mountainous regions for addressing the common problems affecting all the mountainous regions, and for consolidating our common efforts to effectively integrate mountain issues into the global climate change and development agenda including the Rio+20 process and beyond;

2.       Promote research as well as use of traditional knowledge for sharing, learning and exchange of information and best practices to support science-policy interface and help find best solutions to climate change challenges through global cooperation, including south-south cooperation, recognizing that the mountains provide solutions for sustainable development using ecosystem services, in particular, water, biodiversity, energy, and for enhancing food security;

3.       Reinforce that our collective actions will complement the objectives of achieving equitable and sustainable development including the Millennium Development Goals with a focus on reducing poverty and enhancing gender equity and social inclusion among the people in mountain countries and regions;

4.       Agree to update the sustainable mountain development agenda in the context of growing challenges and opportunities, resulting from climate change and globalization;

5.       Encourage building appropriate incentive mechanisms at various levels to recognize and reward mountain communities for conservation and maintenance of mountain ecosystem services through climate change adaptation and conservation of critical ecosystems;

6.       Strengthen and consolidate the Mountain Initiative as a global platform for all mountainous countries to discuss common issues through collaborative and cooperative efforts for mobilizing the necessary support and raising awareness globally about the adverse impacts and vulnerabilities of mountain ecosystem services and implications on the livelihoods of the poor and disadvantaged people and make efforts to reduce impacts of climate change collectively;

7.       Urge the development partners to support through the establishment of dedicated funding arrangements for the adaptation and mitigation programmes in mountain countries within the framework of UNFCCC and other sustainable development processes and build the resilience of communities, women and disadvantaged groups in particular, through a comprehensive and holistic approach at the local, national, regional and international levels in the spirit of enhanced global partnership; and

8.       Recognize and build on high potentials of mountain ecosystem services to promote green growth strategies and strengthen linkages between mountain ecosystem and other ecosystems to reduce poverty and promote sustainable development;

9.       Work collectively to mobilize global support to promote investment in mountain countries in an institutionalized manner, and to enhance the level of concrete cooperation among all the stakeholders, including the private sector, local communities, civil society and youth, with action plan based on mutual collaboration and commitments among the mountain countries and the development partners, UN system, including the Mountain Partnership, and multilateral organisations in order to ensure adequate and effective flow of financial resources, including innovative financing, technology and capacity building to the mountain countries;

10.     Agree to give continuity to the Mountain Initiative on a sustainable basis, organize the next conference through mutual consultations at an appropriate time, and develop the programme of work to carry forward the Kathmandu Call for Action;

Have hereby decided to adopt this Kathmandu Call for Action.

Kathmandu, Nepal
6 April 2012

Monday, April 9, 2012

Asia-Pacific Network for Global Change Research (APN) Updates, 9 April 2012


APN Updates
Monday, 09 April 2012
APN

What's New

Approved New and Continuing Projects for Financial Year 2012/13
The APN is pleased to announce the final list of new and ongoing projects to be funded in financial year 2012/13, as approved by its Inter-Governmental Meeting (IGM) on 16 March 2012 at APN's 17th IGM convened in Jakarta, Indonesia.
APN at the Fifth GEOSS Asia-Pacific Symposium, Tokyo, Japan
4 April 2012, Tokyo, Japan — The APN was represented at the Fifth GEOSS Asia-Pacific Symposium which was held in Tokyo, Japan, from 2 to 4 April 2012. APN Secretariat Director Akio Takemoto introduced APN's new focussed activities in 2012 and its involvement in the GEOSS process and related activities.
IPCC Publishes Special Report, APN Work Cited
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) recently published a special report on Managing the Risks of Extreme Events and Disasters to Advance Climate Change Adaptation (SREX). The report, produced by IPCC Working Groups I and II, is the outcome of cross-disciplinary teamwork between scientists studying the physical aspects of climate change, scientists with expertise in impacts, adaptation and vulnerability as well as experts in disaster risk management.
Work of the APN funded project "City at Risk: Developing Adaptive Capacity for Climate Change in Asia's Coastal Megacities" (CBA2008-06NSY-Fuchs) is cited in Chapter 5, Managing the Risks from Climate Extremes at the Local Level, and Chapter 9, Case Studies, of the SREX report.
APN at Planet Under Pressure 2012, London, UK
29 March 2012, London, UK — The biggest gathering of global environmental change specialists in advance of the United Nations Rio+20 Summit, the Planet Under Pressure conference attracted over 3000 scientists and decision-makers across the world to discuss global challenges and offer new solutions. More than 3000 people participated online through video webcast and various social media platforms. Scientists issued State of the Planet Declaration that summarizes the key messages emerged from the conference.
The APN, through its funding support to the conference, facilitated 26 scientists and policy-makers from its member countries to present their work through oral and poster presentations at the conference. We also hosted an exhibition at the conference, featuring the latest work undertaken by APN-funded projects in the Asia-Pacific Region.

Global Change Announcements

Call for abstracts: International Conference on Climate, Water and Policy (ICCWP) 2012
The APEC Climate Centre (APCC) is planning to hold the 'International Conference on Climate, Water and Policy (ICCWP) 2012' for three days in September 2012 in Busan, Republic of Korea. The main objective of ICCWP is to promote the use of climate information for decision making in water resource management. While the APEC Climate Symposium (APCS) 2011 explored the use of climate information in agriculture, water resources management and energy efficiency on a broad level, APCC identified high demand for in-depth studies on each sector from the participants' feedback. As a progression of the last APCS, ICCWP will work more deeply on climate applications in the water sector.

Upcoming events

10th International Conference on Southern Hemisphere Meteorology and Oceanography: Changing southern climates (10ICSHMO)
When: Mon Apr 23, 2012 to Fri Apr 27, 2012 
Where: Noumea, New-Caledonia
7th MAIRS Scientific Steering Committee Meeting When: Mon Apr 23, 2012 to Tue Apr 24, 2012 
Where: Zhangjiajie City, Hunan Province, China
Workshop on "Developing Asian Megacities toward a Sustainable World" When: Wed Apr 25, 2012 to Fri Apr 27, 2012 
Where: Zhangjiajie City, Hunan Province, China
SOLAS Open Science Conference When: Mon May 7, 2012 to Thu May 10, 2012 
Where: Cle Elum, WA, USA
Resilient Cities 2012 When: Sat May 12, 2012 to Tue May 15, 2012 
Where: Bonn, Germany
36th sessions of the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI) & the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA) When: Mon May 14, 2012 to Fri May 25, 2012 
Where: Maritim Hotel, Bonn
Second New Commons Workshop with APN, DIVERSITAS, IHDP and UNU-ISP When: Mon May 28, 2012 to Wed May 30, 2012 
APN Secretariat, East Building, 4F, 1-5-2 Wakinohama Kaigan Dori, Chuo-ku, Kobe 651-0073, Japan
Tel : +81-78-230-8017 | Fax: +81-78-230-8018
Website: http://www.apn-gcr.org | Follow us on Facebook


Friday, April 6, 2012

Workshop on Uncertainty in Climate Change Research, August 6-17, NCAR, Boulder, CO, USA

Announcing the IMAGe, NCAR Theme of the Year Workshop on Uncertainty in Climate Change Research: An Integrated Approach, August 6 - 17, NCAR,
Boulder, CO.
Uncertainty is present in all phases of climate change research from the physical science (e.g., projections of future climate) to the impacts through to the effort to make decisions regarding mitigation and adaptation across different spatial scales. This theme will embrace all aspects of uncertainty in climate change research, providing a pedagogic whole for students, post-docs, and early career scientists interested in any and all aspects of climate change. One central focus will be the need to understand the strands of uncertainty throughout the climate change problem in order to focus effectively in any one area.
Students, post-docs and early career scientists are invited to apply.
For more information and to apply, please visit:
https://www2.image.ucar.edu/event/uncertainty-climate-change-research-integrated-approach

ACCO Announces Defense, National Security & Climate Change Workshop (June 25-26, 2012 - Washington, DC)



 
For the latest information about this program,
including speaker and agenda announcements:
http://www.ACCOonline.org/ccls/defense-june2012.html
U.S. defense and intelligence communities are increasingly focusing resources on the operational and national security implications of climate change, water and energy. With the most recent quadrennial report identifying climate change as a global destabilizing force for the first time, an intelligence community assessment related global water security, Executive Order 13514 on sustainability across the Federal agencies, and an uncertain and unstable energy market, the challenges before American defense and national security communities to address water, energy and extreme events related risks and opportunities, as well as establish a leaner, more effective operational force in a down economy.
Program Highlights
  • Hear insights from senior Federal officials in the Department of Defense, intelligence organizations and other Federal agencies on existing mandates, operational strategies and opportunities for collaboration
  • Participate in roundtable sessions with peers across sectors on topics including:
    • Exploring strategies for addressing water problems (shortages, quality and extreme events),
    • Developing clean energy infrastructure throughout installations and forward operations,
    • Identifying new technologies for usage in the theater and in U.S. installations,
    • Overcoming barriers to modernizing facilities management and green design in defense installations,
    • Operationalizing supply chain programs and modernizing procurement paradigms,
    • Stakeholder engagement, external relations, and workforce education/training, and
    • Addressing national security implications both domestic and abroad.
  • Examine implications of the recent Global Water Security assessment, Executive Order 13514 and other recent Congressional and Executive mandates on Department of Defense operations and the national security community
  • Explore opportunities for cross-sector working groups
Highlights from ACCO's 2011 Defense, National Security and Climate Change Workshop
  • Keynote speakers included Senator John Warner (ret.), Senator Gary Hart (ret.), Honorable Sharon E. Burke, Honorable Katherine Hammack and Mayor Martin Chaveez
  • 30 speakers, 8 program session and 12 roundtable discussions
  • 110 attendees representing more than 65 organizations
  • Recap reports available at: http://www.ACCOonline.org/ccls/defense2011
ACCO's 2011 Defense, National Security and Climate Change Workshop Featured …
Last year's program included the following speakers:
  • Senator John Warner (ret.) – Senior Advisor, Hogan Lovells
  • Senator Gary Hart (ret.) – Scholar in Residence, University of Colorado Denver, School of Public Affairs and Chair of the Threat Reduction Advisory Committee for the U.S. Department of Defense
  • Honorable Sharon E. Burke – Assistant Secretary of Defense for Operational Energy Plans and Programs, U.S. Department of Defense
  • Honorable Katherine Hammack – Assistant Secretary of the Army (Installations & Environment), Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army, U.S. Army
  • Jeffrey Arnold – Senior Scientist, Climate and Global Change Programs, Institute for Water Resources, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
  • Cathleen Kelly – Deputy Associate Director for Climate Change Adaptation, White House Council on Environmental Quality
  • Chris Tindal – Director of Operational Energy Policy, U.S. Department of the Navy
  • Kim Toufectis – Master Planning Program Manager, U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
  • David Belote – Director, DoD Energy Siting Clearinghouse, Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense
  • Nancy Gillis – Senior Adviser, Sustainability, Federal Acquisition Service (FAS), General Services Administration
  • William Goran – Engineer Research and Development Center, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (and Co-Chair of NASA-Army Interagency Forum on Climate Change Impacts and Adaptations)
  • Allan Hoffman – Senior Analyst, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, U.S. Department of Energy
  • Dr. Marc Kodack – Senior Fellow, Army Environmental Policy Institute, U.S. Army
  • COL Jon Ostertag – Chair, Installation Energy Program Group, U.S. Air Force
  • Lt. Col. Paul Schimpf – Strategist for Energy and Environment, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Policy)
  • Paul Yaroschak – Deputy Director, Chemical & Material Risk Management, Office of the U.S. Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Installations and Environment)
Venue and Lodging Information
  • The program will be held at the Grand Hyatt Washington, DC:
    1000 H Street NW
    Washington, DC 20001
    (202) 582-1234
  • Information on lodging and reservations will be posted shortly
Interested in attending?Click Here to Register

For more information about this program,
please contact Melissa Lembke at 202-496-7390.
June 25-26, 2012
Grand Hyatt
Washington, DC
Registration Fees:
Corporate - $475
Non-Profit - $365
Academia - $365
Government - $255
Early Bird Special:
Register by May 15 and receive $100* discount on registration
* Government early bird registrants
receive a $60 discount
Co-Presented by:
Participant Organizations from 2011 Workshop
Representatives from the following organizations participated in ACCO's March 2011 Defense, National Security and Climate Change Workshop:
* 3M
* Abt Associates
* AEA Group-Project Performance Corporation
* American Institute for Chemical Engineers
* AT&T
* Battelle Memorial Institute
* Booz Allen Hamilton
* Brandeis University
* Capture Dynamics
* Captus Group
* CarterMcClean LLC
* Center for American Progress
* Center for New American Security
* Clarion University of Pennsylvania
* Clinton Climate Initiative
* Collaborative Institute for Oceans, Climate & Security
* Computer Science Corporation
* Concurrent Technologies Corporation
* Deloitte Consulting LLP
* Enablon
* EnLink Geoenergy Services
* Enviance
* Environ
* Environmental Defense Action Fund
* Esri
* Exxon Mobil Corporation
* GeoEye Foundation
* Gulfstream Aerospace
* HDR Architecture
* Hogan Lovells
* ICLEI USA
* LMI Government Consulting
* Lockheed Martin
* McKenna Long & Aldridge
* Milspray
* Montreal Protocol Technical & Economic Assessment Panel (TEAP)
* National Academy of Sciences
* Noblis
* Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
* Pew Center on Global Climate Change
* Policy Navigation Group
* Polyisocynaurate Insulation Manufacturers Association (PIMA)
* Presidential Climate Action Project
* Renomics Corporation
* SAIC
* Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego
* Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
* St. Thomas University School of Law
* TechAmerica
* The Climate Registry
* U.S. National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA)
* U.S. Air Force
* U.S. Army
* U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
* U.S. Department of Defense
* U.S. Department of Energy
* U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
* U.S. General Services Administration
* U.S. Green Building Council
* U.S. Navy
* United Nations
* University of California, San Diego
* University of Waterloo
* Virginia Sustainable Building Network
* Waste Management
* White House Council on Environmental Quality
* Winrock International

Vacancy at the Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP) in Brussels or London

Policy Analyst - Governance Team

IEEP - Institute for European Environmental Policy

Brussels or London

 

The Role

IEEP has a vacancy for a full time Policy Analyst within the environmental governance programme. It is a key role within a busy and dynamic team focussing on the development and implementation of a wide range of strategic and cross-cutting European environmental policy issues at both European and national level.

We are seeking someone capable of both initiating and undertaking projects under tight deadlines, involving frequent contact with the European Commission and other key stakeholders. An ability to grasp and assess both technical EU budget and political issues and prepare fluent and cogent reports in English is critical. A successful candidate will need to have the skills and confidence to represent the Institute at a variety of fora in Brussels and elsewhere. For the right candidate there is an opportunity to make a real difference to policy outcomes.

Job Overview: The work will be varied, interesting and intellectually demanding. You will be involved in a range of projects of different size, timescale and subject matter nthat will overlap in their timing. You will be leading some and contributing analysis and inputs to others, including studies led by other teams at IEEP. Projects address all stages of the policy process, including agenda-setting, formulation, practical implementation and evaluation. Both the EU and national levels are of relevance and we cover legislative and funding instruments as well as novel approaches.

The programme has particular strengths in relation to strategic approaches to EU environmental policy, including forward looking plans (the 7th Environment Action Programme), policy integration, impact assessment, policy implementation and better regulation. Climate and environmental “proofing” of the EU budget and the reform of EU Cohesion Policy currently are priority topics with a growing portfolio of projects in 2012 and beyond. Project financing and the governance of eco-innovation and resource efficiency are emerging areas of strategic interest. The successful candidate will particularly play a role in reinforcing IEEP’s activities in the broader area of the EU budget and its links to the green economy discussion.

The principal aspects of the role are:
·         Researching and drafting reports led by yourself or others, which typically will focus on policy issues, at a European or national level (such as environment in the EU budget);
·         Undertaking literature reviews, interviews, the analysis of quantitative and qualitative data, interviews, workshops and case studies;
·         Assisting with, and in some cases leading, the preparation of tenders and funding proposals;
·         Playing a role in project development, management and administration;
·         Providing regular briefing notes on developments in EU general and crosscutting policy issues and their implications;
·         Working with colleagues to develop robust policy positions on behalf of the Institute;
·         Promoting policy messages to wider audiences, beyond immediate client groups or sponsors, inter alia through contributing to the Institute's communication, outreach and training activities. This will involve presentations to conferences and workshops;
·         Supporting the development of the team’s knowledge base and IEEP publications by attending relevant meetings and conferences (mostly in Brussels) and compiling relevant literature;
·         Working with colleagues to organise and facilitate meetings, workshops, seminars etc as needed;
·         Contributing to updates of the Institute’s award winning Manual of Environmental Policy.
·         Contributing to the overall day-to-day operation of IEEP and helping to organise internal activities, as necessary.

 

Role in the Institute

The postholder will be a member of the 6 person governance programme, led by Dr Axel Volkery. The postholder will also work closely with other London and Brussels staff and on occasion contribute to projects led by other IEEP teams. IEEP is a relatively small organisation, so like other staff, the postholder will be required to show commitment and flexibility in undertaking a range of general tasks in pursuit of the smooth running, effectiveness and development of the Institute.

The successful candidate will enter an intellectually challenging and fast-paced environment, where the opportunities for learning and for making a difference are great. You will also join a cohesive and supportive team that is committed to the professional development of all of its members.

 

Person-specification

The ideal candidate will have the following attributes.

Skills and personal attributes
·         Excellent analytical and report writing skills;
·         Excellent written and spoken English and the ability to present information in a clear, precise and accessible style in this language;
·         Excellent understanding of the role of policy;
·         Good networking skills;
·         Good public speaking and presentational skills;
·         Demonstrable ability to take initiatives;
·         Proven ability to work as part of a small team.
·         Enthusiasm and adaptability to work across a range of subjects.

 

Qualifications and Experience


Essential:
·         A postgraduate degree or equivalent qualification in a relevant discipline (e.g. political sciences, economics, public management, law);
·         A sound knowledge of environmental policy, preferably at EU level, coupled with a broad understanding of the EU environmental ‘acquis’;
·         A proven understanding of the role of public sector financing in relation to the creation of a greener economy and infrastructure, preferably at EU level;
·         Significant relevant work experience and proven capacity to deliver work;
·         Specific experience of policy related work;
·         Demonstrable ability to plan and manage tasks efficiently, to work under pressure and to meet tight deadlines.

Desirable:
·         A good understanding and proven work experience on broader EU budget matters, programming of EU funds and approaches to project financing;
·         Relevant expertise in the fields of eco-innovation or resource efficiency or policy implementation
·         Understanding and knowledge of EU affairs, covering strategies, policies and institutions, and policy-making processes;
·         Knowledge of the principles and methods of environmental economics;
·         Proficiency (written and spoken) in a European language other than English – knowledge of French would be especially advantageous.

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Conference on Managing Protected Areas under Climate Change (24-26 September 2012 in Dresden, Germany)

The Leibniz Institute of Ecological Urban and Regional Development (IOER) is organizing an International Conference on Managing Protected Areas under Climate Change - IMPACT - within the framework of the HABIT-CHANGE project (http://www.habit-change.eu) from 24-26 September 2012 in Dresden, Germany.

IMPACT sets out to meet the growing need for sharing knowledge and experiences in the field of biodiversity conservation and climate change by bringing together researchers, conservation managers and decision-makers in the field of nature conservation. IMPACT provides a platform for dialogue to develop a better understanding of the complex impacts of climate change on biodiversity on local level and the means to adapt management in protected areas accordingly.

Conference themes include:
• Assessing sensitivity
• Modelling of climate-induced impacts
• Management practices
• Monitoring of climate-induced impacts
• Awareness raising, communication and stakeholder involvement
• Managing the unknown / Decision Support
• Legal aspects and policy recommendations
• Climate change impacts on species and invasive species
Further information is available at the conference website (http://www.habitchange.eu/impact).

Proposals for oral and poster presentations are accepted until 27 April 2012. The call for contributions can be found at http://www.habit-change.eu/index.php?id=206.