Agriculture Notices
Now showing the most recent five notices. To see all notices please click here.
ASEAN Conference on Biodiversity 2009 (ACB2009), 21-23 October 2009
Created on 13 Jun 2009 by Patinya Kanthatham
Southeast Asia occupies a meager three percent of the earth’s surface, but contains over 20 percent of all known plant, animal, and marine
Species. Three of the world’s mega-diverse countries are in the region – Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. This richness makes the region a crucial component of global environmental sustainability.What is the current status of biodiversity in the ASEAN region? What are the challenges facing Southeast Asia’s flora, fauna, and other natural resources and how do these affect the lives of over 500 million people? What can we do to conserve biodiversity for us and for future generations? These and more questions will be addressed at the ASEAN Conference on Biodiversity (ACB2009) on 21 to 23 October 2009 in Singapore.
To be hosted by the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) and the National Parks Board (NParks) of Singapore, ACB 2009 is envisioned to be one of the most important gatherings of key biodiversity stakeholders and players in the ASEAN region who will discuss emerging trends, issues, and concerns on biodiversity conservation and management.
About 250 of Southeast Asia’s key personalities from the academe, the research and scientific community, government, and high-level policymakers will come together for 2009’s most awaited event in the environment arena.
Why a conference on biodiversity?
The ASEAN region is home to seven of the world’s 34 biodiversity hotspots which are characterized both by exceptional levels of plant and animal endemism and by serious levels of
Habitat loss. Forest conversion, forest fires, shifting cultivation, large-scale mining, wildlife hunting and trading, population growth and poverty, Climate change, and lack of appropriate conservation management policies all contribute to habitat destruction and the consequent loss of biological diversity.Biodiversity loss could trigger enormous effects on health and wealth.
Biodiversity – Then, Now, and Beyond 2010
- 1992 Earth Summit – The Convention on Biological Diversity the first global agreement for the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components, and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of the genetic resources signed by 153 parties at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, including 10 ten ASEAN Member States
- 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development – The 2010 Biodiversity Target was set at the WSSD. The Parties to the CBD committed themselves to achieve by 2010 a significant reduction of the current rate of biodiversity loss at the global, regional, and national levels as a contribution to poverty alleviation, and to the benefit of all life on Earth. This target was subsequently endorsed by the WSSD and the United Nations General Assembly, and was incorporated as a new target under the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
- Countdown to 2010 – As 2010 draws near, the target set at the 2002 WSSD needs to be assessed and progress made has to be reported to the global community. In preparation for the 10th Conference of Parties (CoP10) in Nagoya in 2010, the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB) and the National Parks Board of Singapore (NParks) will co-host the ASEAN Biodiversity Conference (ABC 2009) on 21-23 October 2009.
ACB 2009 will provide a forum for exchanging perspectives on initiatives that address biodiversity issues in the region, and discussing steps forward in advancing the ASEAN biodiversity agenda with the context of meeting the 2010 Biodiversity Target.
Please visit http://www.aseanbiodiversity.org/ for more details.
4 degrees&beyond International Climate Conference, 28-30 September 2009, Oxford, UK
Created on 30 Apr 2009 by Patinya Kanthatham
Despite 17 years of negotiations since the 1992 rio earth summit, global greenhouse gas emissions have continued to rise. since 2000 the rates of annual emissions growth have increased at rates at the upper end of the ipcc scenarios, presenting the global community with a stark challenge: either instigate an immediate and radical reversal in existing emission trends or accept global temperature rises well beyond 4°.
The immediacy and scale of the reductions necessary to avoid anything below 4°c, and indeed the human and ecosystem implications of living with 4°c, are beyond anything we have been prepared to countenance. understanding the implications of 4°c and higher temperatures is essential if global society is to make informed choices about the balance between "extreme" rates of mitigation and "extreme" impacts and adaptation costs.
The aim of this conference is therefore to: (i) assess the consequences of a change in global temperature above 4°c for a range of systems and sectors, and (ii) explore the options that are open for avoiding climate changes of this magnitude. the results of the conference will form an important background to the cop 15 united nations climate change conference, in copenhagen, december 2009, and the inevitable negotiations that will follow cop 15.
Format of conference
1. Invited keynote talks that:
a. provide state of the art assessments of the impacts of 4+°c climate change for a range of human, ecological and earth systems
b. reframe the mitigation challenge in terms of steps necessary to avoid the significant risk of a 4-5 degree warming under different emissions reduction scenarios and the options open to enable a clear avoidance of such a risk.
2. Open call for oral and poster papers in the above themes, with a focus on regional examples that complement keynote topics.
Call for papers
The call for contributions is now open. we're looking for presentations of innovative research work, and we invite you to submit abstracts for oral papers and posters that assess the implications of 4+°c at global, regional, national and local scales, under the following general themes:
i: Agriculture, water and food security (global, regional and national)
ii: Vulnerable people and places
iii: Ecosystems and ecosystem services
iv: Earth system feedbacks and thresholds
v: Emissions reductions
Deadline for abstract submission: Friday 11 May 2009.
For more information please visit http://www.eci.ox.ac.uk/4degrees/index.php
6th International Conference of the European Industrial Hemp Association (EIHA), 26-27 May 2009, Wesseling, Germany
Created on 17 Feb 2009 by Patinya Kanthatham
preliminary programme of the 6th conference:
hemp fibre products - composites and more
stephan piotrowski (nova-institut gmbh, germany): status and outlook on natural fibres in the international year of natural fibres (iynf)
michael carus (nova-institut gmbh, germany): hemp fibres for industrial applications
r. pecenka (institut für agrartechnik (atb), germany): an alternative processing route for hemp and other natural fibres for economical viable products
jason finnis (naturally advanced technologies, canada): the crailar action plan: bringing technology to market
gerhard spengler (r+s technik gmbh, germany): natural longfiber multipurpose forming technology
graupner, nina & prof. dr. müssig, jörg (university of applied sciences dept. for biomimetics / biological materials, germany): press moulded hemp fibre reinforced pla composites - influence of fibre mixture and processing technique
hemp straw and fibre processing
phil warner (ecofibre industries limited, australia): new approach to hemp processing and handling technologies
dr. holger fischer (faserinstitut bremen - fibre, germany): optimisation of bast fibres for use in industrial production
agriculture: cultivation and harvesting
françois desanlis (experienced hemp farmer, france): hemp projects, the bottlenecks and some solutions
melanie ruppe (tebeco spol.s r.o., czech republic): new innovative harvesting technology
j. paulitz (ing.büro für naturfasertechnologien, germany); g. rascher; h.-j. gusovius: high effective harvesting and straw handling technologies to improve competitive situation of bast fibre production
hemp for food
kelley c. fitzpatric (canada): the health properties of hemp support its use in the european food and supplement markets
anndrea hermann (canadian hemp trade alliance, canada): update of the canadian hemp industry
hemp for energy
john finnan (teagasc, ireland): hemp: a bioenergy feedstock for ireland
Call for paper and more details please visit the confernce website;
2009 International Year of Natural Fibres
Created on 16 Feb 2009 by Patinya Kanthatham
why an international year of natural fibres?
since the 1960s, the use of synthetic fibres has increased, and natural fibres have lost a lot of their market share. producers and processors of natural fibres face the challenge of developing and maintaining markets in which they can compete effectively with synthetics. in some cases, this has involved defining and promoting market niches. in others, where their natural advantages allow them to compete effectively with synthetics, basic research and development is needed to facilitate the use of natural fibres in new applications.
the main goal of the international year of natural fibres is to raise the profile of these fibres and to emphasise their value to consumers while helping to sustain the incomes of the farmers. in addition, the international year will:
- promote the efficiency and sustainability of the natural fibres industries;
- encourage appropriate policy responses from governments to the problems faced by natural fibre industries;
- foster an effective and enduring international partnership among the various natural fibres industries.
For more information please visit http://www.naturalfibres2009.org/en/index.html
New Publication-State of Food and Agriculture 2008, (The). Biofuels: prospects, risks and opportunities
Created on 4 Feb 2009 by Patinya Kanthatham
Can biofuels help achieve energy security, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, promote rural development? Do biofuels threaten land, water, biodiversity, and food security? The State of Food and Agriculture 2008 surveys the current status of the biofuel debate, exploring implications for food security, the environment and agricultural development in developing countries. It addresses the biophysical and economic potential of biofuels, global and local environmental impacts, agricultural commodity prices impacts, and implications for agricultural development, poverty and hunger. It also explores policy options to ensure positive outcomes for people and the environment. Also published in Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian and Spanish. To order a copy please visit http://www.fao.org/icatalog/search/dett.asp?aries_id=109530 |
