Collaborating for Climate.

UK-India Capacity Development project for Climate Change and Carbon Management

Planning and review seminar. Wed 10^th April

India Institute of Technology, Dehli

As part of the British Council funded Collaborating for Climate project, a seminar was held at the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi on Wed 10th April.

The purpose of the seminar was to build on previous collaborations and bring together academics from Queen’s University Belfast (QUB), with a range of Indian partners.

Collaborating for Climate is a partnership between Queens University of Belfast, the Indian Institute of Technology in Delhi and the School of Planning and Architecture, Bhopal. It is the latest phase in a programme of ongoing collaboration and knowledge exchange which has included Responding to Climate Change conferences in Delhi in 2010 and Belfast in 2012. Collaborating for Climate is funded by the British Council under the Knowledge Economy Partnerships (KEP) 2012.

The seminar included presentations from the Project Coordinator, Dr Robin Curry of ISW/ISEP and Prof Geraint Ellis of the Institute of Environmental Planning (ISEP).

Further information can be obtained from Dr Curry at r.curry@qub.ac.uk or the Collaborating for Climate web site at https://www.qub.ac.uk/sites/CollaboratingforClimate/

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ISW research selected for publication in Science for Environmental Policy

Science for Environment Policy, the European Commission DG Environment News Alert Service, has highlighted the policy impacts of recent ISW research.

 

Science for Environment Policy is a news and information service published by Directorate-General Environment which presents accessible summaries of key studies across a range of environmental topics.

All content undergoes a rigorous review process by an independent network of European advisors to ensure that only high quality research is featured.

The research selected was published by Dr Robin Curry of ISW in Local Environment. The International Journal of Justice and Sustainability.

Curry, R. & Maguire, C. (2011) The use of Ecological and Carbon Footprint Analysis in regional policy making: application and insights using the REAP model. Local Environment 16(9):917-936.

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Supported by Queen’s University Belfast’s Institute for a Sustainable World

Peter Froggatt Centre, Queens University Belfast, 20-21 June 2012

A second International Conference on UK-India Perspectives of Climate Change will take place at Queen’s University, Belfast to bring together academics from Queen’s University Belfast (QUB), with a range of Indian partners to explore areas of mutual understanding and cooperation in the field of climate change responses.  The aims of the conference are to:

• Discuss  and  exchange  knowledge on developments since the first conference that took place in Delhi in August 2010,  around  the  themes  of  climate,  energy  and the built environment;
• Continue  to build research collaboration between QUB and leading Indian researchers; and
• Identify funding streams, themes and timetables  and  build research consortia for proposals.

Day 1 will focus on a range of presentations and discussions themes around three key issues: Climate change and Evidence-based Policy; Climate Change and Built-Environment; and Climate change, governance and society. Room 02/017 Peter Froggatt Centre, 9.15am – 5.15pm.

Day 2 will provide an opportunity for delegates to explore specific opportunities to forge UK-India partnerships around upcoming research opportunities. Harty Room, School of Music, 9.30am – 12.45pm.

Places are free, but please register in advance with Geraint Ellis, g.ellis@qub.ac.uk

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On Thursday 26th May, Professor Richard Wool of the University of Delaware will be delivering an ISW seminar on the Sustainable Use of Biobased Materials. The seminar will take place in the boardroom of the Ashby Building from 6.30 -7.30 (Coffee and biscuits at 6.00). 

The GEM Centre concept was motivated by requests for low-cost, bio-based materials from the renewable energy industry, prompted by the rising costs of dwindling fossil fuel-based materials and the climate change imperative to develop a renewable energy infrastructure and new energy-efficient houses integrated with solar energy. Replacing traditional petroleum-based plastics with low-cost bio-based materials for these green energy projects will provide a drastically improved economic and environmental solution. Another significant development from the GEM Centre is a solar-integrated energy-efficient new house design. This design by Shenton and Wool was nominated for the Richard Branson Virgin Global Warming Solutions Award and is the basis for the proposed construction of 2.2 million low-cost, bio-based Epitoli houses in South Africa.

Introduction by ISW Director and Professor Eileen Harkin Jones

RSVP: Karen Agnew k.agnew@qub.ac.uk

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The Institute for a Sustainable World recently was involved in an extensive tour of India promoting collaboration and establishing links with Indian researchers.  The topic of climate change and how to respond to it was the key feature of the seminars, public talks and conferences which were delivered from 13th-21st August.  The tour took in 4 Indian cities - New Delhi, Ahmadabad, Baroda and - 4 QUB academics (Geraint Ellis from SPACE, John Barry from PISP and ISW, Bernard Smith from GAP and Robin Curry from ISW) and was sponsored by the British Council in India.

Dr Barry, Associate Director of the Institute for a Sustainable World, said, "We fully expect this trip to be the first of many and we are already in discussions with the British Council in India about further events.  We will also follow up with the researchers and research groups we met to explore ways of establishing links, through mutual staff and student exchanges, joint projects and short courses.  While the schedule was full it was an extremely fruitful trip and we all look forward to returning to India in the near future and to seeing the initial links made on this trip deepened and bearing fruit".

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