_ The Zero Emissions Strategy Conference
_ The Zero Emissions Strategy Conference
This is the place in the conference, the 'plenary meeting room' in which participants have an opportunity to hear from a careful selection of leading thinkers, actors, projects and points of view. The objective is to provide a series of provocative and instructive presentations from guest contributors representing many different disciplines, institutions, countries, and concerns. The emphasis is both on the quality of the presentation, as well as the felt need for great variety in points of view and perspective on the issues, as is entirely appropriate to our many-sided topic.
For those considering submitting a presentation to the meeting, the following simple graphic is intended to illustrate both the considerable breadth of scope which we feel is appropriate to these considerations, as well as a reminder that at the end of the day the main focus of the discussion will be on those z/e issues which are after all the raison d'etre of the conference.
In the first weeks of the conference we received complaints from several participants who wished us to close the conference to specific z/e research agenda topics alone. On the other hand, we have heard from others that one of the reasons why the experts are not making themselves effectively heard is precisely because they are failing to take into sufficienet account the full range of issues invovled. Bearing both these points of view in mind, we are attempting to ensure a good balance,wihout however losing from view the original objecitves of this initiative (see the Conference Introduction).
Useful further introductory background to the zero emission theme will be found in the Invitation and Background to the Conference, the key word list that follows, and of course by the extensive background materials available elsewhere on this dedicated WWW site.
Back to top
Key Words
Clean production, clean technology, cleaner production, dematerialization, eco-efficiency, eco-restructuring, Factor of Ten (Four), industrial metabolism, industrial symbiosis, input reduction, life cycle, low emission, MIPS, non-waste technology, phased strategies, polluter pays, pollution prevention, preventive environmental management, public/private partnerships, recycling, stewardship, sustainable development, sustainability, waste minimization.
For a rapid overview of the current background on these issues,the following linked WWW sites provide a good starting place:
___For some useful historical background we recommend a visit to a July 1995 paper by Prof. Carl-Goran Heden of the Swedish Academy of Sciences entitled The Zero Emissions Research Initiative
Back to top
For those introducing a program or some major piece of work, perhaps the best combination is a relatively short (and of course highly readable) Podium piece, which can then be supported by a much more substantial presentation, and even full length reports, which can then be obtained by those interested from the conference's library or alternatively from a linked site.
It is hoped that each of these pieces will be subjected to active critical comment, and that this process will be one of the main knowledge building blocks provided by the conference. All papers and the discussions will be assiduously archived, so that the results will be available at all times throughout the conference. It is intended that the critical discussions in each case will continue over the full period of the conference, as the various participants wish.
Guidelines for Podium Presentations
There is no single recommended format. In general anywhere from 1500 up to 4000 words would seem appropriate. We might also all bear in mind however that the longer the piece, the less likely people are going to read it all. So there is a real charm to brevity in this medium if you wish to make your voice heard. Organization and Layout
We have made an effort to introduce a certain number of what we consider to be handy links to sources and sites mentioned in most of these presentations which you may wish to visit. (Again, the procedure is that wherever you see an underlined title, you need just click with the left button on your mouse and presto! you should have it. Sometimes it can occur that links are moved or allowed to get out of date, or that we make an error in keying in the text. In such cases we would appreciate being notified so that we can make the necessary changes.)
Discussion of the Podium Presentations
Comments, criticism, counter arguments, and proposals for extensions and further work in the issues which are addressed in this series will be found in the appropriate section of the Discussion Panels. For further information on these, simply tap the above link.)
Back to top
Presentations in this series:
__ To Review Comments and Discussion of Podium Presentations
Back to top
About the site: Comments to Webmaster [webmaster@the-commons.org ]
Page last updated on 19 September 1997.
Copyright © 1994-1997, EcoPlan International, Paris,France. ® All rights reserved.
__ The CyberForum