Kultur der Sonne: Vom Kohle- ins Solarzeitalter
Akademie Mont Cenis, Herne, 2. - 4. August 1999

Der Kongreß zur Kultur der Sonne in der Akademie Mont Cenis in Herne ist ein Signal und zugleich eine zentrale Botschaft der Internationalen Bauausstellung Emscher Park (IBA '99 Finale). Diese hat 10 Jahre lang dem Strukturwandel im Ruhrgebiet mit vielen Projekten kulturelle und ökologische Impulse gegeben. Die Thematik des Kongresses - der Übergang zum Solarzeitalter und damit zu einem ökologischen Industriezeitalter - ist das Gebot des neuen Jahrhunderts. Der Kongreß wird Perspektiven eines umweltintegrierten Lebens und Wirtschaftens mit einer solaren Bau- und Industriekultur aufzeigen.

Jeder Kongreßtag steht unter einem Leitthema. So werden unterschiedliche Zielgruppen angesprochen. Tägliche Exkursionen zu den Solarprojekten der Region sowie eine Info-Börse sind der anschauliche Teil des Kongresses, der für den Weg in Solarzeitalter motivieren soll. Der Kongreß findet in Zusammenarbeit mit Eurosolar e.V. statt.

Kontakt

ORBIT 99: Cleaning up - the natural way
Weimar, Germany, 2 - 4 September 1999

ORBIT 99, an international conference on biological treatment of waste and the environment, will be held in Weimar, Germany, between 2 and 4 September 1999. ORBIT (organics recovery and biological treatment) is a conference series, which constitutes a European and international communication platform on biological waste-management issues. The conference will focus on aspects pertinent to composting and anaerobic digestion, as well as newly introduced techniques. It will promote discourse and communication on topics relevant to scientists, plant operators, regulators, or any State or private bodies dealing with organic waste management.

More than 500 delegates are expected to attend the conference, which is being organised under the auspices of the European Union and the State of Thüringen in Germany. (Source: CORDIS focus)

For further information, please contact

4^th International Volga Meeting on Techno-Ecology
The Environment for us and for future generations: modern technology, ecology and ecological education
5 - 12 September 1999, on board of a comfortable Volga steamship

Conference Programme

1. The influence of engineering on the environment: scientific, practical and commercial aspects
2. Ecological education as a necessary condition of the progressive and steady development of society
3. Application of computer science and engineering to ecological tasks
4. The economy of nature use and environmental protection
5. Ecologically clean technologies
6. Processing manufacture and household waste
7. Ecological biotechnology
8. The ecology of space and international cooperation on problems of air and space engineering safety
9. Legal protection of the human right to a healthy environment
10. Round table discussion on topical items and presentations of large- scale local enterprises.

The conference is organised by Samara Technical University, Russian Academy of Sciences, Russian Ministry of Science and Education, INTAS (Brussels).

The conference languages are English and Russian (translation service available).

Contact

Seminar
Neue ökologische Allianzen: Projektwerkstatt für Management in Wirtschaft und NGOs
Kloster Irsee/Allgäu, 13. - 18. September 1999

Unter dem Druck der gesellschaftlichen Diskussion um die nachhaltig zukunftsgerechte Weiterentwicklung der Industriegesellschaft zeichnet sich ein großes Innovationspotential ab.

In modellhafter Weise sollen mit diesem Seminar wegweisende Managementkonzepte und -methoden von internationalem Rang vorgestellt und deren theoretische Hintergründe erörtert werden. Das Seminar wird in Zusammenarbeit mit der Evangelischen Akademie Tutzing im Kloster Irsee im Allgäu durchgeführt. Die Teilnehmerzahl ist begrenzt.

Anschrift und Verbindungen

Building national and large-scale internet information gateways
The Hague, The Netherlands, 14 - 15 September 1999

"Building national and large-scale Internet Information Gateways" is a workshop for the National Libraries of Europe to be held on 14 and 15 September 1999 at the Hague, The Netherlands.

The European Union is funding DESIRE to run a workshop for the National Libraries of Europe on building national and large-scale Internet Information gateways, in line with international Web and library standards and with a view to developing European collaboration and strategy for Internet cataloguing. The workshop will be run by partners in the DESIRE project:

• Koninklijke Bibliotheek (the National Library of The Netherlands) (where DutchESS is based);
• The Institute for Learning and Research Technology, University of Bristol (where SOSIG is based);
• TERENA (The Trans-European Research and Education Networking Association);
• UKOLN (The UK Office for Library and Information Networking).

DESIRE is a large pan-European project, which aims to promote the use of the World Wide Web in the European research community. The workshop will be run by staff who have experience and expertise in setting up national information gateways (such as DutchESS and SOSIG) and who have conducted considerable research in the following areas:

• Tools and methods for building large-scale Internet information gateways;
• Internet resource discovery;
• Metadata and Web standards;
• Internet cataloguing.

(Source: CORDIS focus)

To register for the event, please complete the online booking form at

Abschlußworkshop des Forschungsschwerpunktes "Risikokommunikation"
Bremen, 16. - 17. September 1999

Der bisherige Forschungsschwerpunkt Risikokommunikation der Universität Bremen führt vom 16. - 17. September 1999 seinen Abschlußworkshop durch. Zu folgenden Schwerpunktthemen werden neben je einer Mitarbeiterin/einem Mitarbeiter des Schwerpunktes auch je zwei geladene Gäste referieren und ihre Positionen vertreten:

• Risikokommunikation und Risikorecht bei Arzneimitteln
• Informations- und Kommunikationsbedürfnisse von Unternehmen
• Risikokommunikation im Arzt-Patient-Verhältnis
• Erfassung subjektiver Präferenzen im Risikomanagement.

Summer Course
"Making (it) work! - Action plans for local sustainable jobs"
Delft, The Netherlands, 18 - 24 September 1999

The International Institute for the Urban Environment (IIUE) and the International Urban Development Association (INTA) are organising a summer course on "Making (it) work! - Action plans for local sustainable jobs" in Delft, The Netherlands, from 18 to 24 September 1999. The European Commission, DG V, is supporting the course.

The aim of the course is to train young professionals in how to use social and financial instruments for the creation of successful sustainable employment in the social economy. The course will address the creation and development of strategic visions and concrete working plans, partnerships, support structures, communication tools and funding mechanisms. Course participants will explore practical models of how local sustainability initiatives can be introduced into the mainstream economy. The training will be intensive and interactive, with lectures, group work, case studies, excursions and discussions. Lectures will be given by European experts and local practitioners who participate in the project "Developing the economy from within" (DEW). The European Commission's DG V (Employment, industrial relations and social affairs) has supported this project, within the framework of the Third System and Employment pilot action on job creation. The course is aimed at young professionals in public and private institutions, as well as non-governmental organisations, responsible for local and sustainable development. It is open to participants from the Member States of the European Union.

(Source: CORDIS focus)

For further information, please contact

IHDP-Conference
Environment Across Cultures
Bad Neuenahr-Ahrweiler, Germany, 21 - 23 September 1999

Disparate perceptions and conceptual frameworks of environment and the relationship between humans and nature often lead to confusion, constraints on co-operation and collaboration and even conflict when society tries to deal with today's urgent and complex environment research and policy challenges.

Such disparities in perception and "world view" are driven by many factors. They include differences in culture, religion, ethical frameworks, scientific methodologies and approaches, disciplines, political, social and philosophical traditions, life styles and consumption patterns (poverty/wealth; north/ south), and alternative economic paradigms. The overall goal of the conference organised within the framework of the International Human Dimensions Programme (IHDP) on Global Environmental Change will be to discuss "Environment Across Cultures". Focus will be placed on identifying ways and means to better understand and reflect cultural identities and/or diversities in regard to different perceptions of environment as well as to corresponding attitudes and behaviors. The conference is organised in three sessions:

• Session I: Cross Cultural Perception of Environment
• Session II: Ethics and Nature
• Session III: Environment, Sustainability and Society

Telework '99: Making telework work for all
Aarhus, Denmark, 22 - 24 September 1999

To ensure that business and society benefit from telework, a conference on the subject will be held in Aarhus, Denmark, between 22 and 24 September 1999. Entitled "Telework '99: Making telework work for all", this conference will address the "User-Friendly Information Society" (IST) thematic programme under the EU's Fifth RTD Framework Programme (FP5).

By focusing on two main themes, the conference will discuss new ways of working, quality of life, family and community and environmental sustainability, as well as the applications of telework for the business community. According to the organisers, the Telework '99 conference will provide a platform for looking at the technology, socio-economic and policy aspects of new ways of working. It will be structured around both plenary and parallel sessions and workshops, as well as demonstrations and an exhibition of technology and workplace innovations. During this year's conference, special focus will be paid to the European Union's User-friendly Information Society programme, and in particular the Key Action on new methods of work and electronic commerce. Aimed at decision-makers from the private and public sectors and representatives, this event is open to telework researchers, consultants and practitioners. The Telework '99 conference is being organised by Tele Danmark and the European Commission, DG XIII. The organisers have published a final call for presentations in the parallel sessions and for demonstrations, with a deadline of 7 June 1999.

(Source: CORDIS focus)

For further information, please contact

5. AGÖF Fachkongreß
Ökologisches Bauen: Energiesparend, emissionsarm und zukunftsfähig?
Bremen, 23. - 25. September 1999

Der diesjährige Fachkongreß der Arbeitsgemeinschaft ökologischer Forschungsinstitute (AGÖF) findet unter der Schirmherrschaft des Bundesministers für Verkehr, Bau- und Wohnungswesen statt und lädt ein, an einem interdisziplinären Erfahrungsaustausch zwischen den Bereichen Architektur, Bauphysik, Baubiologie, Chemische Analytik, Ökologie, Umweltmedizin und kommunalen Verwaltungen teilzunehmen. Die Beiträge des AGÖF-Kongresses zeigen Chancen auf und geben anhand realisierter Beispiele Impulse für ein ökologisches Bauen. Neben den bautechnischen und innenraumhygienischen Anforderungen an Baustoffe und Konstruktionen spielen Rohstoffgewinnung, Herstellung, Verarbeitung, Nutzung und Rückbau bei der Betrachtung eine wichtige Rolle. Dabei werden auch mögliche Baufehler und Bauschäden und deren innenraumhygienische Auswirkungen auf die Bewohner unter die Lupe genommen.

Ausgewählte Beispiele werden im Tagungsband, der zum Kongreß erscheinen wird, veröffentlicht.

Kontakt

Euroconference series
"Quality of Life - Sustainability - Environmental Changes"
Event 2: Exchange processes: societal, institutional, and political determinants guiding environmental behaviour and processing environmental knowledge within society
Rust, Burgenland/Austria, 16 - 19 October, 1999

Event 2 of the Euroconference "Quality of Life - Sustainability - Environmental Changes" will highlight specific interactions between the most important social actors. Following Agenda 21 such major groups are women, farmers, young people, trade unions, business/industry, local authorities, scientists, indigeneous people and NGOs. Communicational, economical and other relevant interactions will be illustrated by practical examples and experiences. Details are available at: http://euroconfql.arcs.ac.at.

Conference Coordination and Contact

PRO-VE'99: Conference features virtual enterprises
Oporto, Portugal, 27 - 28 October 1999

Researchers involved in virtual enterprises (VEs) and other people within the industry are invited to attend the PRO-VE'99 conference in Oporto, Portugal, on 27 to 28 October 1999. This working conference will be held on the subject of "Infrastructures for industrial virtual enterprises". The development of open infrastructures to support VEs is attracting an increasing research effort word-wide. An extensive number of initiatives have been launched and some preliminary results are becoming available. In this context, there are two aims with PRO-VE'99: first, to increase the awareness of SMEs on this new paradigm; and, second, to compare experiences and approaches of different research projects. The main topics of the conference will be:

• VE architectures;
• Infrastructures and frameworks for VE;
• Coordination issues in VE;
• Distributed information management in VE;
• Business and product data exchange in VE;
• Safe communications and authentication;
• Demonstrations.

A book on infrastructures for VE will be edited in time for this event and will include two parts: a "kind of text book" on VE; and, contributed papers. PRO-VE'99 is sponsored by the ESPRIT project, PRODNET II, under the European Commission's DG XIII.

(Source: CORDIS focus)

For further information, please contact

PRO-VE'99: Conference features virtual enterprises
Oporto, Portugal, 27 - 28 October 1999

Researchers involved in virtual enterprises (VEs) and other people within the industry are invited to attend the PRO-VE'99 conference in Oporto, Portugal, on 27 to 28 October 1999. This working conference will be held on the subject of "Infrastructures for industrial virtual enterprises". The development of open infrastructures to support VEs is attracting an increasing research effort word-wide. An extensive number of initiatives have been launched and some preliminary results are becoming available. In this context, there are two aims with PRO-VE'99: first, to increase the awareness of SMEs on this new paradigm; and, second, to compare experiences and approaches of different research projects.

The main topics of the conference will be:

• VE architectures;
• Infrastructures and frameworks for VE;
• Coordination issues in VE;
• Distributed information management in VE;
• Business and product data exchange in VE;
• Safe communications and authentication;
• Demonstrations.

A book on infrastructures for VE will be edited in time for this event and will include two parts: a "kind of text book" on VE; and, contributed papers. PRO-VE'99 is sponsored by the ESPRIT project, PRODNET II, under the European Commission's DG XIII.

(Source: CORDIS focus)

For further information, please contact

Preprogramme
Forum for nuclear safety: EUROSAFE
Paris, France, 18 - 19 November 1999

The scientific and technical forum organised by GRS (Gesellschaft für Anlagen- und Reaktorsicherheit) and the IPSN (Institut de Protection et de Sûreté Nucléaire) on the safety of nuclear installations and the management of radioactive waste will be held in Paris on 18 and 19 November of this year. Under the name of "EUROSAFE", the forum will aim to help bring into line technical practices in Europe in the field of nuclear safety. It continues the tradition of annual meetings (Fachgespräch) which have been regularly organised for more than 20 years in Germany by GRS.

As we enter the 21st century, when European cooperation is being strenthened and nuclear safety faced with new challenges, it is more important than ever that skills be pooled and experiences compared if progress is to be made as regards nuclear safety. The Many international specialists will be on hand to discuss the major issues raised by research and expert appraisal in the field of nuclear safety. The results of the most recent work carried out by GRS, IPSN and their partners from the European Union and Eastern Europe will be presented at three workshops and one exhibition. workshops will focus on expertise in the following fields: nuclear installation safety, nuclear safety research, waste and the environment. Eminent members of the scientific and industrial communities and of international organisations will contribute to the debates. Simultaneous translation will be provided into French, German, English and Russian.

Contact in Germany

First Announcement and Call for Papers
Transdisciplinarity: Joint Problem-Solving among Science, Technology and Society
Zürich, Switzerland, 27 February - 1 March 2000

Das Schwerpunktprogramm Umwelt des Schweizerischen Nationalfonds engagiert sich in besonderem Maße für die Förderung transdisziplinärer Forschung. Dies im Wissen, daß sich die heute und in Zukunft stellenden Probleme mit sektoriellem Denken nicht mehr lösen lassen. Forschung muß sich vermehrt transdisziplinär ausrichten und damit gleichzeitig die Zusammenarbeit von Theorie und Praxis suchen.

Als Abschluß des Schwerpunktprogramms Umwelt und als Auftakt der Vernetzung transdisziplinärer Forschung nach der Phase dieser Programmforschung organisieren deshalb der Schweizerische Nationalfonds, die ETH Zürich und die ABB gemeinsam die Konferenz "Transdisciplinarity: Joint Problem-Solving among Science, Technology and Society". Diese internationale Konferenz findet Ende Februar 2000 an der ETH Zürich statt. Die Konferenzsprache ist Englisch.

Kontakt

First Announcement and Call for Papers
Systems Science 2000: Integrative Approaches to Natural and Social Dynamics
Osnabrück, Germany, 20 - 22 March 2000

Systems science has developed rapidly in recent years. Impetus was received from the investigation of the non-linear dynamics of complex systems, which occur in physical, chemical but also ecological and social systems. Theoretical systems science investigates the endogenous structure and the exogenous influences which affect the stabilisation, self-organisation, adaptation and emergence, etc. of systems. Applied systems science applies these concepts to various different systems, whether subject-specific or interdisciplinary. Mathematical modelling and simulation are core methods to investigate developmental paths of environmental systems and to recognise critical situations earlier. Systems science investigates the structure and function of complex systems in order to gain a better understanding of the dynamic behaviour of systems. Systems scientific investigations are carried out in numerous academic disciplines, as partly reflected in the name itself, e.g. ecosystems research, economic cybernetics, systemic psychology, etc. Often similar methods are used without the inclusion of experience from related disciplines. Aims and Scope The international conference Systems Science 2000, to be held in Osnabrück (Germany) from 20 - 22 March 2000, intends to bring together scientists from various different fields in order to present and discuss the present position of systems science. Besides the main talks, to which internationally renowned scientists will be invited, we also plan to organise numerous sessions with brief talks and posters.

The following fields could be discussed:

• General Aspects of Systems Science,
• Ecological and Environmental Systems,
• Social and Economic Systems,
• Sustainable Development,
• Technology and Risk Assessment,
• Biological Systems,
• Psychological and Cognitive Systems,
• Mathematical Systems Theory and its Applications,
• Education in Systems Science.

Call for Papers We invite all participants to submit an abstract for an oral presentation or for a poster. Abstracts must be submitted by 1 September 1999 using the abstract online service offered under http://www.usf.Uni-Osnabrueck.de/~sys2000

All further information will be posted at http://www.usf.Uni-Osnabrueck.de/~sys2000

Organisation

First Announcement and Call for Papers
1^st World Conference and Exhibition on Biomass for Energy and Industry
Sevilla, Spain, 5 - 9 June 2000

Our current lifestyle and economic practices with their intensive use of resources will have ecological and social consequences, only some of which are foreseeable. The greenhouse effect and ozone gap are only two of the challenges that we currently face. The reduction of CO2 emissions, as agreed in the Kyoto Protocoll, can be obtained to a very significant level by modern use of biomass for energy and industry technologies, as determined in relevant documents such as the European Commission's White Paper on Renewable Energy Sources.

The 1st World Congress on Biomass for Energy and Industry will contribute to the elaboration of innovative global strategies, projects and efficient practice rules for energy and environment providing an information exchange and discussion forum for scientists, policy makers, practitioners of biomass for energy and industry. The Conference will highlight new innovative concepts and projects in order to increase the social and political awareness for a change in worldwide resource consumption and promote economically, socially, and environmentally sustainable development for the next millenium. The Technology Exhibition integrated into the Conference will provide an excellent opportunity for making business in the emerging biomass sector.

Papers are invited on the following topics:

1. Externalities of biomass (bioenergy and global change, other environmental effects, socio-economic effects)
2. Biomass Resources (forestry, agricultural crops, residues, biological wastes)
3. Raw products, Feedstocks and Biofuels Production Technologies (biomass chips and pellets, biogas, alcohols, vegetable oils)
4. Biofuels Market in the Transport Sector (gasoline blends, ETBE, biodiesel, compressed biogas)
5. Biomass Market in the Heat and Electricity Sector (heating market, combined heat and power , electricity, co-combustion etc.)
6. Biomass Non-Energy Products and Markets ( timber, biomass processing, by-products, chemicals, lubricants, bio-polymers etc.)
7. Bioenergy Implementation (feed in laws, NFFO for bioelectricity, EU agricultural policy, auto oil programme, difiscalisation, financial supports, tax breaks, energy taxes, strategies and cooperation programmes, OECD countries, Eastern Europe, Developing Countries)
8. Biomass R&D, Education (energy crops, residues, gasfication combined cycles, pyrolysis, ehtanol from lignocellulosis (hydrolysis, fermentation), methanol, hydrogen, education).

The deadline for receipt of abstracts is 15 October 1999.

Contact

Conference considers sustainable growth for the millennium
Stockholm, Sweden, 13 - 15 June 2000

NUTEK, the Swedish National Board for Industrial and Technical Development, is organising the Eco-Efficiency 2000 Conference, which will be held in Stockholm, Sweden, between 13 and 15 June 2000. The meeting is a business-oriented event covering Sustainable Economic Growth and will comprise :

• A multi-stakeholder approach;
• A symposium and seminars;
• An international brokerage event;
• An exhibition;
• The Eco Efficiency Award;
• Cultural and outdoor adventures.

NUTEC have announced a call for papers from scientists, executives and professionals, for presentation at the Eco Efficiency 2000 Conference.

(Source: CORDIS focus)

For further information and a registration form, please contact