13.-19.05.2012 in Montreal/CA

Twenty years after the Earth Summit in Rio, the linkage of sustainable development to economic growth requires profound rethinking. It has not offered a convincing solution to one of the most dramatic crises in history: how to avert ecological collapse while enhancing social justice and improving life’s prospects. In advance of Rio plus 20, our Conference seeks to challenge and move beyond the sustainable development agenda. A degrowth perspective will help us visualize and build towards a truly prosperous world.

Drawing from previous degrowth conferences in Paris and Barcelona in 2008 and 2010 respectively, the Montreal conference will focus on the particular situations and dynamics of the Americas. What does degrowth mean for our Hemisphere with its rich geographical, cultural, social and economic diversity? How can degrowth models apply to different contexts from the Arctic to Tierra del Fuego? What does degrowth mean for the indigenous peoples of the Americas and their aspirations for their lands and peoples? How can degrowth concepts be made audible, understandable and acceptable to rich North Americans?

This gathering will bring together academics, activists, environmentalists and indigenous peoples to discuss our needs and hopes for diverse and more equitable societies in the Americas, on a post-growth healing earth.

Time: 13.-19.05.2012, 9-18:30
Place: Montreal, Quebec, Canada

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30.-31.01.2012 in Bonn/D

Unter dem Titel „Globale Lebensstile – Neue Wege für die Entwicklungspolitik“ steht der Zusammenhang zwischen Lebensstilen und Konsumgewohnheiten und den Lebensverhältnissen in Entwicklungsländern im Fokus der dritten Bonner Konferenz.

Wie müssen sich Konsum- und Lebensstile von Gesellschaften in Nord und Süd verändern, um eine nachhaltige globale Perspektive zu ermöglichen? Welchen Beitrag können dazu Unternehmen in Wahrnehmung ihrer ethischen Verantwortung leisten? Brauchen die Entwicklungspolitik und insbesondere die entwicklungspolitische Bildungsarbeit einen Perspektivwechsel, um nachhaltige Lebensstile für die Entwicklungszusammenarbeit nutzbar zu machen?

Dies sind zentrale Fragen, die auf der Dritten Bonner Konferenz für Entwicklungspolitik mit hochkarätigen deutschen und internationalen Experten diskutiert werden. Die Ergebnisse sollen einen Beitrag für die Fortschreibung der MDGs und den Rio+20-Prozess leisten. Zugleich wird auf der Konferenz erstmals die in einem Open-Government-Prozess entwickelte neue Eine-Welt-Strategie des Landes NRW der Öffentlichkeit präsentiert und deren Umsetzungsperspektiven diskutiert.

Neben Keynotes, Diskussionen, Foren und Panels wird es auch Workshops verschiedener entwicklungspolitischer Organisationen zu einzelnen Facetten des Konferenzthemas geben.

Zeit: 30.01.2012: 9.00-18.30 Uhr      31.01.2012: 9.00-12.45 Uhr
Ort: World Conference Center Bonn: Platz der Vereinten Nationen 2, 53113 Bonn

Nähere Informationen erhalten Sie hier.

15.-17.02.2012 in Wien

Join the first Multinational Knowledge Brokerage Event on Sustainable Consumer Electronics!
The event will address various puzzling questions raised within the fields of ICT in general, and sustainable consumer electronics in particular, with regards to their contribution to economic growth and sustainable consumption. Discussions will specifically focus on the issues of energy labelling, e-waste, the potential of telework, as well the diffusion of broadband internet and its implications for residential energy consumption.
We are happy to welcome high-level keynote speakers from the policy and research arenas:

- Lorenz Hilty, University of Zurich & EMPA
- Peter Johnston, European Policy Center & Club of Rome
- Inge Røpke, Technical University of Denmark
- Vida Rozite, International Energy Agency

Date: 15-17 February
Venue: Vienna University of Economics and Business

The event offers:
• easy access to cutting-edge research findings on sustainable consumption and economic growth in the context of sustainable consumer electronics,
• a networking opportunity with policy makers, an internationally rewarded research group and top scholars from all over Europe,
• the opportunity to learn innovative forms and methods of effective knowledge brokerage,
• an exploration and visualisation of contradictions and synergies of sustainable consumption and economic growth in the context of sustainable consumer electronics.

The event is carried out within the FP7 funded project RESPONDER which aims to promote sustainable consumption by exploring novel ways of knowledge brokerage that help to improve management of potential political, social and economic contradictions with economic growth. For further information, please see the event flyer attached.

Please note that the number of participants is limited to 40 people. For registration and/or further information, please send the attached registration sheet to ict@scp-responder.eu by January 22, 2012. Participants will receive a final confirmation letter of registration right after the deadline.

Further information and registration sheet.