Recruitment of Master and Doctoral Candidates in the UNEP – Tongji Institute of Environment Sustainable Development

The program provides an educational facility for young professionals in the Asia-Pacific Region and beyond to study and conduct research for the advancement of knowledge on environmental issues as they relate to the new sustainability paradigm.  It focuses on the generation of new knowledge, development of leading-edge approaches, creative innovations and novel applications of knowledge.  It provides advanced education to produce graduates and leaders with the knowledge and skills to understand the issues involved in environment and sustainable development, and to offer innovative solutions.

The program is flexible and at the same time in-depth to a large extent, tailored to the educational goals of the individual student and emphasizes creativity, problem-solving, field-based learning, systems-oriented approach to sustainability as well as interdisciplinary in curriculum design. These programs include:

• Master’s Program in Environmental Management and Sustainable Development

• Doctoral Program in Environmental Management and Sustainable Development

• Master’s Program in Environmental Engineering

More details could be found at http://unep-iesd.tongji.edu.cn/

The deadline of admission for IESD programs is June 10th. The deadline of Chinese Government Scholarship has already past, but excellent applicants still can apply for Shanghai Government Scholarship until the end of May.

Contact Person:

Maggie SHEN

Office: +86-21-6598 7790    Fax: +86-21-6598 5059
Email: shenjiaqi@tongji.edu.cn

Address: 903, Zonghe Building, 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai, 200092, P.R.China

Call for application : IESD Master’s and Doctoral Programs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

UNEP – Tonji Institute of Environment for Sustainable Development (IESD)

IESD seeks to integrate the multidisciplinary methodologies of natural and social sciences, viewing the environment, economy and society in a holistic fashion. IESD actively participates in UNEP organized regional and global environmental projects; focuses on the generation of new knowledge, development of leading-edge approaches, promotion of creative innovations, and novel applications of knowledge; and provides a well-rounded education to produce graduates with the knowledge and skills to understand the issues involved in environment and sustainable development, and to offer innovative and practical solutions. IESD’s aim is to become an important base of research, education, and information exchange for sustainable development.

 

Background 

 

The program provides students with the opportunity to broaden their academic and research experience. IESD offers courses on fundamentals of environmental science and technology, and courses on planning, management and development as well. The academic program is flexible to a large extent, tailored to the educational goals of the individual student and emphasizes problem-oriented learning, field-based learning, and systems approach to sustainability and interdisciplinary study. A research investigation producing a scholarly contribution to the particular area of study is necessary.

The program aims to educate students and prepare them for leadership roles at the local, national and regional levels on sustainable development. Students are expected to master various concepts and gain knowledge on economic progress, social systems, environmental protection and resource conservation issues. The three dimensions of human, environment and the economy form the basis of the program.

 

read more : http://unep-iesd.tongji.edu.cn/index.php?classid=168

 

Green Roofs and Green Walls for Australian Cities – Seminar 24th May 2012

Cities’ Pivotal Role in the Climate Change Debate – CDP Cities 2011 Progress Report

Climate change is widely recognised as one of the most serious challenges the world faces, with consequences that go far beyond its impact on the environment alone. It is no longer the question ‘if’ we have to move into a low-carbon energy future but ‘how’ we will get there.

Consuming more than 75 percent of the world’s energy, and producing around 80 percent of its greenhouse gases, the role of cities is an important nexus in the climate change debate. Their populations and infrastructure are immensely vulnerable to the damaging effects of increasing temperatures, sea level rise and extreme weather events. Additionally, cities are well positioned to anticipate climate change due to their enhanced understanding of local conditions and needs.

Supporting collaboration between cities

Driven by a common belief that city governments play an important role in reducing global carbon emissions, a group of large cities (known as the C40 Cities) have come together to create an effective forum to support collaboration and information sharing between cities and demonstrate leadership. This year, the C40 Cities collaborated with the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) on a research to measure the climate impact of each participating city as well as their plans for action. An impressive 72 percent of the C40 Cities responded to the survey, representing over 1,200 million metric tons of CO2-equivalent, a figure roughly equivalent to the total emissions of a country like Japan or Germany. The survey shows that a number of cities have pioneered extraordinary approaches to GHG reduction and climate resilience.

Taking a leadership role

Nearly every responding city reports the involvement of their senior leadership in taking responsibility for climate change; many also make special note of their efforts to engage local citizens, businesses and other stakeholders in climate change-related decisions. For most, the need is urgent. More than 90 percent of disclosing cities identified themselves as ‘at risk’ due to climate change and over forty percent reported that they are already dealing with the effects of climate change in their regions.

The survey also showed that – while cities have made a strong start – there are still a number of areas where more support is needed. Indeed, challenges remain for many city governments looking to build on the low carbon movement. National governments, non-governmental organisations and the private sector can all work to help cities by:

• Improving and standardizing GHG measurement methodologies.Cities are using many different methodologies to guide them in their GHG measurement activities. City governments will benefit from coordinated efforts to standardize these protocols to make measurement of emissions easier, more transparent, and more comparable between cities.
• Enabling financial forecasting related to climate change investment.City governments, like many other entities, are struggling to put clear numbers on the investments needed to achieve their GHG reduction targets. Technical assistance and private sector input might help cities to improve their ROI on climate change projects.
• Creating better tools for city-level risk assessment.City governments are leading the way in analyzing the risks from climate change in their regions. The international community can support these efforts by offering better tools, including specific risk assessment methodologies for urban areas.
• Adding value through city emissions data validation. In the private sector, data validation and verification is becoming fundamental for establishing credibility with key stakeholders. An increasing number of cities indicate that all or part of their emissions data (city government operations and/or city-wide emissions) is verified to some degree.

Despite a complex array of challenges, it is encouraging to see that both C40 cities and non-C40 cities are (voluntarily) taking great strides towards shaping the global approach to climate change. Cities that measure and analyze their emissions will be in a better position to manage them and adapt to new circumstances. Each city can be a frontrunner in the combat against climate change in its own right.

Although it is encouraging to see that many cities have articulated a strategic vision around energy and climate and have developed GHG reduction emissions targets and innovative measures, it is only through a collective effort that climate change can be seriously contested. Source: INSIGHT Magazine by KPMG Global. INSIGHT is a semi-annual magazine that provides a broad scope of local, regional and global perspectives on many of the key issues facing today’s global infrastructure industry. Register through this link: https://www.kpmg.com/Global/en/Pages/Register.aspx

Rio+20 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, June 20th up to 22nd, 2012. Thirty four days to the future we want.

From the very beginning of the first Earth Summit in 1992, people realized that sustainable development could not be achieved by governments alone. It would require the active participation of all sectors of society and all types of people – consumers, workers, business persons, farmers, students, teachers, researchers, activists, indigenous communities, and other communities of interest.  Agenda 21 formalized nine of these as the overarching categories through which all citizens could participate in the UN activities on achieving sustainable development. These are officially called “Major Groups”.

 

Objective & Themes

The objective of the Conference is to secure renewed political commitment for sustainable development, assess the progress to date and the remaining gaps in the implementation of the outcomes of the major summits on sustainable development, and address new and emerging challenges

 The Conference will focus on two themes: (a) a green economy in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication; and (b) the institutional framework for sustainable development.

Up coming events:

World Symposium on Sustainable Development at Universities (WSSD-U-2012) 5 Jun 2012 – 6 Jun 2012
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

World Summit on Green Tourism and Creative Economy by: Humanitare Institute 16 Jun 2012 – 16 Jun 2012
Planetarium of Rio de Janeiro

International Corporate Governance Network Annual Conference 25 Jun 2012 – 27 Jun 2012 Sofitel Hotel-Rio de Janeiro

The 4th International Forum for Sustainable Asia and the Pacific (ISAP2012) (by: Institute for Global Environmental Strategies ) 24 Jul 2012 – 25 Jul 2012 Yokohama, Japan

 

World Resources Forum 14 Oct 2012 – 17 Oct 2012 Beijing, China

 

 Earth Condominium Conference  by: Quercus 17 Oct 2012 – 18 Oct 2012 Gaia, Portugal

 

Global Eco Forum 2012  by: eco-union 25 Oct 2012 – 26 Oct 2012 Barcelona, Spain

 

Les Recontres du Mont Blanc (RMB) Forum, “The Social Economy: A New Model for Development… On the Road to RIO 2012” 9 Nov 2012 – 12 Nov 2012 Chamonix, France

 

Eco-Products International Fair 2013 by: Asian Productivity Organization 14 Mar 2013 – 16 Mar 2013 Singapore

 

Host Country Liaison: Civil Society Facilitating Committee to Rio+20 (CSFC)

 A special committee of the main Brazilian civil society networks was created in late 2010 to help organize Brazilian civil society and engage with national and international partners, including the Government of Brazil and the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) Secretariat. Members of the Committee represent a diverse set of actors from all sectors including, among others, environmentalists, rural and urban workers, women, youth, popular movements and trade unions. These actors work in rural and urban regions, at both the national and international levels, on issues related to human rights, development modeling, environmental justice and sustainability.

 An important role of the Facilitating Committee is to ensure an efficient flow of information between Brazilian civil society and the rest of the world, as well as to be the national focal point for the Rio+20 major groups coordinator. For that purpose, we will support initiatives of the major groups organizing partners and the Rio+20 Secretariat as required throughout the preparatory process and during the conference itself. Organizations are invited to engage with the Committee to help organize national activities and support international ones.

 The Facilitating Committee also intends to host training activities and debates to support the mobilization of civil society throughout the Rio+20 preparatory process. One CSFC initiative will be the People’s Summit for Sustainable Development, a broad space for debating, networking and showcasing national and international civil society initiatives related to the Rio+20 objectives and themes, and organized to coincide with the conference.

 The Global Union for Sustainability (GUS)

 Believing that the success of Rio+20 will depend on follow-up to the conference, in October 2010 Brazilian and other international organizations launched the Global Union for Sustainability as a mechanism to track progress toward the implementation of Rio+20 outcomes.

 The GUS brings together active organizations and leaders from a wide range of sectors into a global multi-stakeholder forum. The goal is to enhance cooperation and exchange of ideas on how to promote sustainable development, evaluate progress and identify gaps or shortages early in the implementation phase. In the run-up to Rio+20, the GUS will promote a range of on-site meetings and online activities aiming to provide valuable inputs to the conference, and to begin setting up a lasting follow-up process.

 The GUS also intends to collect positive experiences related to the Rio+20 themes and objectives, encourage cross-fertilization and coordination, and transform the process into an effective way to face sustainability challenges and accelerate implementation of feasible solutions.

http://www.uncsd2012.org/rio20/majorgroups.html

Masters in Philosophy Scholarship at UNSW – Climate Change and Urban Forestry in Sydney

 

 

Faculty	Arts & Social Sciences
School	Social Sciences
Residency	Domestic & International
Program level	Masters of Philosophy (MPhil)
Value	$26,670 pa
Tenure	2 years (maximum)

 

Research Project Background

 

The research project is to assess the social, economic and cultural aspects of urban trees in relation to climate change in Sydney.  The aim of the work will be to identify what promotes or works against the further planting of trees in Sydney’s suburbs.  This will provide a socio-economic perspective on the problem of increasing the urban trees in Sydney.

 

By 2036, Sydney’s population is expected to reach 6 million, an increase of 1.7 million since the 2006 ABS Census. This means Sydney will need to provide 770,000 more homes than in 2006. Much of this development will be suburban infill and redevelopment at higher density leading to potential losses of green space. The twin trends work against the well-documented positive impacts that green spaces and especially trees can have on the sustainability performance of suburban areas.  Trees and green spaces can reduce the need for storm water provision, prevent floods and save on air conditioning, mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and improve biodiversity. Since more than 80% of Australia’s population lives in urban areas which will be affected by climate change and peak oil, there is an urgent need to understand the barriers that exist to further planting of trees in suburban areas. While a great deal of research exists internationally on urban forests, little work has been undertaken that is appropriate to Australian conditions, which include soils with a uniquely low nitrogen content and the frequent drought conditions to which Australian flora is subjected.

The purpose of the Contribution is to award a Scholarship for a Master of Philosophy by research at the School of Social Sciences, UNSW under the principal supervision of Dr Krishna K. Shrestha.

Eligibility

• Applicants may be either new or existing students
• Applicants must be enrolling full-time in a Masters in Philosophy (by research) at the School of Social Sciences, UNSW
• To qualify for the Scholarship as a stipend applicants must be Australian or NZ Citizens or Australian Permanent Residents
• International candidates may be considered for a tution fee only (no stipend) scholarship
• Candidates may not concurrently hold other Awards (eg) APA / IPRS
• Candidates will hold either an Honours or a Masters by coursework qualification in social sciences, geography, urban planning, anthropology, environmental management, sustainable development or a closely related discipline.

Selection Criteria

Candidates will show high academic achievement in an Honours or Masters by coursework program in social sciences, geography, urban planning, anthropology, environmental management, sustainable development or related discipline.

Candidates are requested to submit:

• Brief (3-5 pages) research proposal
• An academic writing sample
• A brief statement outlining how their output will contribute to their academic field and the broader community
• Curriculum Vitae including 3 referees.

Conditions of Scholarship

• The Scholarship has the following conditions:
• The scholarship is payable as a fortnightly stipend, subject to satisfactory academic progress.
• The scholarship does not provide for any additional allowances.
• Domestic students: the scholarship may pay a stipend only.
• International students: the scholarship may pay tuition fee only.
• Extensions to the scholarship will not be granted.
• No additional paid leave entitlements are available.
• Scholarship may be be suspended for 1 or 2 semesters with approval of the awarding panel.
• The Scholarship must be taken up in the semester for which it is awarded. Take up may not be deferred.

Supervision

Principal Supervisor:       Dr Krishna K. Shrestha, School of Social Sciences, UNSW

Associate Supervisors:   A/Prof. Phil MacManus, University of Sydney

Dr Marco Amati, Macquarie University

 Completed application forms and any supporting documentation should be scanned and emailed (preferably as a single PDF document) to the Graduate Research School (contact details below)

Denise Miles: UNSW Graduate Research School

denise.miles@unsw.edu.au

Architects Without Frontiers Nepal trip 2012 / 2013

For the seventh consecutive year, Architects Without Frontiers and Aussie Action Abroad (formerly OzQuest) offer Architects, Architecture Students and all related construction & design professionals and students an opportunity to travel to Nepal, experience world heritage Nepali architecture, interact with and contribute to the local community through community development projects.

DETAILS

DATES
December 28, 2012 – January 24, 2013 (4 Weeks)

EXPEDITION PRICE
$3000

FLIGHTS
Flights are to be arranged by the participant.
Aussie Action Abroad will provide information
to assist in booking

INCLUSIONS
All food, accommodation, adventure activities
and permits, local staff costs, materials & donation
to community projects, internal travel & tours

WHAT DOES THE TRIP INCLUDE?

• Working alongside local tradesmen and NGOs to facilitate Design & construction of a community facility for a village
• Nepali Architecture students joining our trip for the construction phase
• Meeting with local council authorities to discuss Sustainability in Nepal
• Historic Architecture tours around World heritage sites of Kathmandu & Bhaktapur
• Five day trek in the Annapurna Mountains

GROUP SIZE
Maximum 20 (2 groups of 10)

ACCOMMODATION

The expedition includes basic accommodation at
all times. Depending on location, this may
Include : Tents, Local tea house / guest house
and basic hotels

EXCLUSIONS
Visa, personal gear & clothing, inoculations, passport,
flights and taxes, personal travel insurance

FIND OUT MORE & APPLY
DAVID ANDERSON RAIA – ARCHITECT
E : da-arch@iinet.net.au
M : 0407 823 569

FOR DETAILS AND PHOTOS OF PAST PROJECTS, VISIT
http://www.architectswithoutfrontiers.com.au

Permaculture Elective WInter Session @ COFA

COFA (College of Fine Arts, UNSW) will be running the first delivery of a Permaculture Design Elective over winter break. Enrolment is limited to 24 places. (16 UG and 8 PG), Demand is high and we feel we will run each semester as a result.

It is a 6 UOC course and will run as a 1 week intensive. Monday June 25 – Sunday July 1

Mon – Fri classes will be held 10 – 4 in the new Design Rooms at Kensington Campus with a few off site local visits within walking / bus distance including Costa Geogiadis’s verge garden at Bondi and a couple of community gardens.

Sat – Sun – will be a field trip to a permaculture property near Sydney. We plan to camp there Friday and Saturday night and do some practical work – so it will be gloves, work boots and dirt under the nails. We have tents for everyone if you don’t have one of your own.

I will be working on the course outline over the next week or so with Cameron Little, a highly experienced and qualified instructor who will be our Lecturer for the course.

Assessment will be project based.

Course codes are  SDES9758-10334 (PERM) and  SDES3801-10337 (PERM)

To enroll please contact: selenagriffith@gmail.com

Academic posts – University of Nottingham

please note three full-time permanent academic posts are now available at the Department of Architecture and Built Environment, University of Nottingham (United Kingdom):

 

Lecturer in Architecture

http://www.jobs.ac.uk/job/AEH650/lecturer-in-architecture/

Lecturer in Architectural Construction

http://www.jobs.ac.uk/job/AEH659/lecturer-in-architectural-construction/

 

Lecturer in Building and/or Urban Simulation

http://www.jobs.ac.uk/job/AEH975/lecturer-in-building-and-or-urban-simulation/

 

Feel free to circulate to those who may be interested.

Job vacancies at green building council of Australia

Green star are seeking a Case Manager for Green Star registered projects.  As well as project management, this role provides technical support to project teams compiling Green Star submissions.

read more: http://www.gbca.org.au/about/careers-at-gbca/green-star-case-manager/33782.htm