Earth System Governance Tokyo Conference: Complex Architectures, Multiple Agents

Earth System Governance Tokyo Conference: Complex Architectures, Multiple Agents

United Nations University Head Quarters, Tokyo, 28-31 January 2013

The Tokyo Conference on Earth System Governance will be held 28-31 January 2013 at the United Nations University (UNU) Conference Center at the UNU headquarters, Tokyo, Japan. This conference will be the fourth in a global series organized by the Earth System Governance Project. The Earth System Governance Tokyo Conference will be jointly hosted by the United Nations University Institute of Advanced Studies (UNU-IAS), the International Environmental Governance Architecture Research Group and the Tokyo Institute of Technology on behalf of the Earth System Governance Project.

The full Call for Papers will be released soon and will include further details as well as background information to the five conference themes that will be:

1. Architecture of Earth System Governance in the 21st century

2. Climate Governance Architecture

3. The Nexus between Architecture and the other “As”

4. Political Dynamics on Emerging Agencies and Architecture

5. Special Conference Stream on Nuclear Safety and Post-disaster Governance

Please save the dates of the conference.

Conference Chair

Norichika KANIE

Associate Professor, Tokyo Institute of Technology

Research Fellow, The United Nations University Institute of Advanced Studies (UNU-IAS)

For more information please contact kennedy@ias.unu.edu

Climate Leadership Conference, Florida, USA

Schedule at a Glance Announced -- Click here to read

The first annual Climate Leadership Conference will be held from February 29-March 1, 2012 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The conference will bring together leaders from business, government and academic institutions, and the non-profit community interested in exchanging ideas and information on how to address climate change while simultaneously running their operations more competitively and sustainably.

Conference attendees will offer and hear climate related solutions on topics including:

Leveraging Clean Energy Opportunities

Managing Climate Risks and Building Resilience

Supply Chain Strategies

Disclosures and Questionnaires

Setting and Achieving GHG Reduction Goals

Education & Engagement Strategies

Making the Business Case for Climate Response

Program Highlights

Network with leaders from the public and private sectors, including Federal and state government officials, industry leaders, and nonprofit experts

Attend the Climate Leadership Awards Gala, which is held in conjunction with the conference

Hear insights from winners of the 2011 Climate Leadership Awards for the Supply Chain, Organizational and Individual Leadership categories

More information on the conference will be available shortly. If you have any questions, please email:

questions@ClimateLeadershipConference.org

More at: http://www.climateleadershipconference.org/

2012 Millennium Youth Camp in Finland: Call for Applications - apply by 19 Dec

2012 Millennium Youth Camp in Finland: Call for Applications

A group of 30 talented young people will meet once again in Finland next June at the third Millennium Youth Camp. The application process for the 2012 Millennium Youth Camp has now begun, the first round closes on 19thof December 2011.

Online applications can be made starting from 19th of October, and participants will be chosen using a two-phase selection process which will end in the middle of March 2012. This international camp offers like-minded young people who are interested in mathematics, science and technology a chance to spend a week doing project work together and also meet top scientists, the 2012 Millennium Technology Prize winner and people working in Finnish companies and organizations.

Arranged on an annual basis, the Millennium Youth Camp welcomes students from all continents. In 2011, almost 1500 young people from a hundred different countries applied to take part. One of the camp's primary goals is to encourage young scientists to network at an early stage in their careers and help them launch a career in science or technology. 

At the camp, Millennium Youth Campers are presented with an overview of Finnish expertise and top-level research in the natural sciences, mathematics and technology. They are introduced to a number of Finnish companies and institutes of higher education. In addition to lectures, workshops and visits to Youth Camp partners, the camp programme includes project work supervised by top-level experts and carried out in small multi-national groups. The Millennium Youth Camp's official language is English. 

The week-long 2012 Millennium Youth Camp will take place in the Helsinki Metropolitan Region and start on 9 June 2012. Participation is free of charge. As in previous years, the project themes are climate change, renewable natural resources and energy, water, ICT and digitalisation, and applied mathematics.

The camp's main organisers are Technology Academy Finland and the Finnish Science Education Centre LUMA.

The two-phase application process

In the first phase, young people from all over the world who were born between 1993 and 1996 are eligible to apply for a place in the 2012 Millennium Youth Camp using the online application form. The names of the 100 applicants selected for the second phase of the application process will be published on 1 February 2012, and they will be given a period of four weeks to produce project plans. Some applicants will be interviewed by telephone in connection with their proposals.

The 30 camp participants will be selected by a steering group consisting of representatives of Finnish higher educational institutions and Millennium Youth Camp partners. The names of the successful applicants will be published on 15 March 2012.

The application form and further information on the application process can be found on the Millennium Youth Camp website.

Further information:

Maija Aksela, Professor, Chair of the Millennium Youth Camp Steering Group
The Finnish Science Education Centre LUMA, University of Helsinki
maija.aksela(at)helsinki.fi, tel.             +358 50 514 1450      

Riikka Öörni, Project Coordinator, Technology Academy Finland
riikka.oorni(at) technologyacademy.fi, tel.             +358 40 5077 916      

Media Contacts:

Riina Vänttinen, Communications Officer, Technology Academy Finland
riina.vanttinen(at)technologyacademy.fi, tel.             +358 400 420 922      

Why invest in sustainable mountain development? - A special publication in the context of changing climate and upcoming Rio+20 meeting

Why invest in sustainable mountain development?

Climate change, increasing natural disasters, food and energy crises, population growth, water scarcity and desertification, loss of biodiversity, degradation of ecosystems, migration, and growth of cities – the planet is currently facing a multitude of challenges. Mountain regions and their inhabitants are disproportionally affected, but also offer significant opportunities for solutions.

By providing key environmental services such as freshwater, biodiversity conservation and hydropower to more than half of humanity, mountain ecosystems play a critical role in world development. Mountain systems are essential building blocks for long-term sustainable global development, poverty alleviation and the transition to a green economy. In a world heading towards water, food and energy crisis, sustainable mountain development (SMD) is a global priority.

Mountain people, who are among the world’s poorest and hungriest, are key to maintaining mountain ecosystems and their role in providing environmental services to downstream communities. Mountain communities need to be empowered and their livelihoods improved, to enable them to take responsibility for the preservation of natural resources and to fulfil their role as mountain stewards.

In spite of the obvious importance of mountain areas, sustainable mountain development does not receive the attention and priority it deserves. Investing in sustainable mountain development is a global priority for addressing the current challenges. It reaches far beyond monetary terms to embrace increased attention to and support in all aspects of mountain ecology and society.

Please find below information about the latest publication from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) highlighting these issues with support of latest facts and figures on SMD.

Imprint: Rome: FAO, November 2011. - 84 p.

ISBN: 9789251070123

Download PDF:

http://www.fao.org/mnts/products-2011/en/

For further information, pls write to Mr. Thomas Hofer at thomas.hofer@fao.org .

PS: Dr. Andreas Schild, Ms. Andrea Perlis and myself had an opportunity to contribute  on sustainable mountain development in the Hindu Kush-Himalayas and beyond (largely with Asia Pacific context)

Overseas Development Institute (ODI) Fellowship 2012

Overseas Development Institute (ODI) Fellowship 2012

The ODI Fellowship Scheme 2012 has a strong reputation among prospective applicants and their universities, giving Fellows the rare opportunity to develop their skills within a developing country’s government. Places on the Scheme are highly competitive with all applicants offering postgraduate qualifications and often relevant work experience.

The Fellowship Scheme is well known to a wide range of employers who place considerable weight on the experience provided by a Fellowship. After completing their assignments, a large percentage of Fellows continue to follow a career in development.

The application process for the 2012-2014 Fellowship Scheme is now open. Applicants should submit a digital photograph, an application form and equal opportunities form. These need to be submitted to fsapplications@odi.org.uk no later than 15 December 2011. Please read the application guidelines before applying. Do not send transcripts, CVs, references or any other documentation.

Application information – entrance requirements for candidates

Essential

• Degree in economics or a related field
• Postgraduate degree qualification*
• Ability to commit to a two-year assignment

* For those studying for a postgraduate degree at the time of application, the award of a Fellowship will be conditional upon the successful completion of their degree.

Some specialisations at postgraduate level which are relevant include:

• Agricultural economics
• International economics
• Development economics
• Development Management
• Development studies
• Econometrics & Statistics
• Environmental economics
• Health economics
• Public policy

This list is not definitive and each application is taken on its own merit with the overall aim of matching candidates to the requirements of a Fellowship post.

Desirable

• Demonstrable interest in development
• Relevant work or voluntary experience
• Language competence for some posts (especially French, Portuguese or Swahili)
• Strong IT skills

Qualities we are looking for

Fellowships vary from post to post and country to country, but all require a combination of the following qualities:

Intellectual qualities

• A sound grasp of economic theory and its application, especially in a development context
• Problem-solving and analysis of information
• Communication of complex ideas

Personal qualities and interpersonal skills

• Adaptive and flexible approach
• Ability to work effectively with others
• Confident and robust personality
• Willingness to learn and accept advice
• Ability to mix easily with diverse groups of people

Management and work-related skills

• Ability to prioritise and delegate work
• Consultative and advocacy skills
• Time management and ability to work without supervision
• Project management
• Report writing

Fellows are expected to take up their posts between August and October. Start dates are negotiated according to individual availability and the requirements of the employing government.

For more details, please contact us on:

• ODI Fellowship Scheme
  Overseas Development Institute
  111 Westminster Bridge Road
  London SE1 7JD
• Tel: +44 (0)207 922 0356
• Fax: +44 (0)20 7922 0399
• fellows(at)odi.org.uk

Learn more about the Overseas Development Institute (ODI) Fellowship Scheme