Our planet is faced with a number of rapid changes over the coming decades. These changes include:

• a changing climate
• growing demand for food
• constraints of resources
• increasing global population and urbanisation
• ageing societies

Although the extent of these changes is difficult to predict, the consequences of not meeting the challenges are all the better known.

In this meeting we will address these key issues through the AGS research initiatives and look for sustainable solutions in the face of change. The meeting includes prominent speakers from industry and society, panels of experts and briefings by AGS researchers on the key issues.

The AGS annual meeting will be held on 23-25 January 2011, and continues in collaboration with the Energy Conference on 26 January 2011.

Welcome to Gothenburg!

Contact: ags2011@chalmers.se

More information: www.ags2011.org

The complexity of climate change mechanisms] Greenhouse gas emissions are of major importance today and the climate issue is expected to remain a question of utmost significance during coming decades and centuries. Climate models indicate how emissions interfere with climate processes and which temperature rise different emission scenarios may lead to. Through a literature survey, it has been our intention to single out some of the findings on climate change mechanisms , such as the interaction between emissions of greenhouse gases and global radiative forcing, on how the carbon and nitrogen cycles interfere with concentrations in the atmosphere and in what ways cost-effective abatement measures of greenhouse gases could be made. The focus in this respect has been on non-carbon dioxide greenhouse gases. The present basis for action is comprehensive and robust to its order of magnitude, even if there are large uncertainties involved in the overall understanding of the processes. In the strategies elaborated by different actors these large uncertainties in sources and sinks of greenhouse gases, the interconnections with the climate and available climate models, have to be considered in research projects and future action plans.

Download The complexity of climate change mechanisms

The performance of future or long-term energy investments at industrial sites can be evaluated using consistent scenarios. By using a number of different scenarios that outline possible cornerstones of the future energy market, robust investments can be identified and the climate benefit can be evaluated. Consistent scenarios can be achieved by using the Energy Price and Carbon Balance Scenarios tool (the ENPAC tool) which is presented in this report. The tool is also used to develop eight scenarios from 2010 to 2050 with energy prices and associated CO₂ emissions for marginal use of the energy carriers.

Download report in pdf:
Scenarios for assessing investments in industry

This meeting discussed different approaches to ESD from a student perspective, and how students and student communities can improve the education in sustainable development.
More information and application on the WSC-SD website.

Carl Justin Kamp (WSC-SD, AGS Chalmers) with Dr. Peter Agre, Nobel Prize Chemistry 2003

The 59th Meeting of Nobel Laureates in Lindau, Germany was held June 28^th-July 3^rd with the focus area of chemistry. 580 graduate students from 67 countries spent the week with 23 Nobel Laureates from chemistry, physics and physiology/medicine. The schedule was packed with fascinating lectures, smaller discussion groups, cultural and social events, as well as 2 panel discussions on ‘The role and future of chemistry for renewable energy’, and ‘Global warming and sustainability’ with participants including R. Pachauri (IPCC), B. Lomborg, T. Stocker and W. Woomaw. Although the Nobel Prize is awarded to individuals at the top of seemingly narrow scientific fields, the Lindau meeting articulated that multidisciplinary and international approaches are vital in solving large-scale problems, thus motivating the need for groups such as the AGS.

The 59th Meeting of Nobel Laureates in Lindau, Germany was held June 28^th-July 3^rd with the focus area of chemistry. 23 Nobel Laureates and 580 graduate students from 67 countries spent a week full of lectures and discussions concerning the synergies between science education, fundamental research, sustainable development and our common future.

Link to Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings

More about CSS activities

An interactive workshop held under the auspices of the Alliance of Global Sustainability and hosted by Cape Peninsula University of Technology

Cities, properly managed, can be transformative arenas in which natural resources are used efficiently and economically to provide a high quality of life for everyone. And by doing so, cities offer our best hope of reducing human impacts upon the environment and achieving global sustainability. It can be argued that there is no one model for urban futures because of the underlying history and cultural diversity of our urban areas. However, the challenge of urban futures is clear – we have exceeded 50% by 2030. The resultant pressure on infrastructure, services, safety and security, political stability and social services is immense.

Selected experts have been invited to present and discuss their views on African Urban Futures, thereby raising regional-level awareness and providing an important contribution to the global research agenda

Facilitator:
Peter Willis, University of Cambridge Programme for Industry, South Africa

Keynote address:
“Putting people first in urban development” by Mamphela Ramphele, Circle Capital Ventures, South Africa.

Presentations:

• “African urban innovation” by Edgar Pieterse, University of Cape Town, South Africa.
• “An overview of some of the challenges facing the city of Johannesburg” by Lael Betlehem, Johannesburg Development Agency, South Africa.
• “Future urban transport challenges in selected African cities” by Roger Behrens, University of Cape Town, South Africa.
• “Sustainable urban design” by Mokena Makeka, Makeka Design Lab, South Africa.
• “Social dimension of urban development” by Alan Mabin, University of Witwatetsrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.
• “Finance and governance models for urban development” by David Savage, Independant Consultant, South Africa.
• “The Lake Victoria higher education initiative”, by Stephen Agong, Maseno University, Kenya.
• “Toward sustainable water use in cities” by Rolfe Eberhard, Palmer Development Group, South Africa.
• “Renewable energy for sustainable urban development” by Harro von Blottnitz, University of Cape Town, South Africa.
• “Capacity building for sustainable urban development” by Björn Malbert, Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden.
• Innovation exercise – “Looking at wants and aspirations, strategies to achieve these and interventions by key sectors”
• Best posters presentation

Executive committee:

• Dr. Sebastien Rauch, Chalmers
• Prof. Olalekan Fatoki, Cape Peninsula University of Technology
• Prof. Jim Petrie, University of Cape Town
• Dr. Yvonne Hansen, University of Cape Town

Contact:

Dr. Sebastien Rauch
Water Environment Technology, Chalmers
sebastien.rauch@chalmers.se

The AGS is keen to elicit views on sustainable urban futures. This seminar aimed at providing an African-focused view on urban futures.

Link to webcasts

Contact person: Dr. Sebastien Rauch

Programme for Day 1:
Moderator: Alexandra Pascalidou

• Welcome, by Hans Lindgren and Carl-Eric Hagentoft, John Holmberg, vice president – Chalmers Initiative
• Cities in climate change , Marco Keiner, ETH
• Design and concepts for habitability in extreme environments, particularly on Moon and Mars, Larry Toups, NASA
• Sustainable development – the importance of city planning, architecture and construction, Ulla-Britt Fräjdin-Hellqvist, board member in public and private companies (Castellum, Kongsberg Automative, Tällberg advisors)
• Sustainable business: how busenesses are reacting to the requests of a sustainable agenda – a global perspective, Roger Flanagan, University of Reading
• Urban futures for the next generation – sixth grade student competition on urban futures, produced by Bengt Nilsson & Dan Jåma, shows how children have been working on the theme Future cities
• Summary, Alexandra Pascalidou

Welcome, by Hans Lindgren and Carl-Eric Hagentoft,
John Holmberg, vice president – Chalmers Initiative

“Cities in climate change”, by Marco Keiner

“Design and concepts for habitability in extreme environments,
particularly on Moon and Mars”, by Larry Toups

“Sustainable development – the importance of city planning,
architecture and construction” by Ulla-Britt Fräjdin-Hellqvist

“Sustainable business: how businesses are reacting to the
requests of a sustainable agenda – a global perspective”, by Roger Flanagan

“My view on sustainability” by Gert Windgårdh

“Urban Futures for the next generation”,
6th grade student competition,
Five Views on Urban Futures 2008, AGS Chalmers

Summary, by Alexandra Pascalidou

• Uthållig tillväxt i Göteborgsregionen – om samspel, mål och strategier, Bo Aronsson, Göteborgs Region
• Om bilar och framtidens storstäder, Anders Källström, Västsvenska Handelskammaren
• Ett hållbart boende – Framtidens melodi, Harald Pleijel, Familjebostäder & Framtiden
• En revolution med bara vinnare, Anders Kyrkander, Passivhuscentrum
• Homes of tomorrow, Greg Morrison, Chalmers
• Panel discussion with speakers and invited guests, Karin Markides Chalmers, Mats Lundqvist CES, Agneta Kores Familjebostäder et al
• Closing, Karin Markides, Chalmers

Uthållig tillväxt i Göteborgsregionen – om samspel, mål och strategier, Bo Aronsson

Om bilar och framtidens storstäder, Anders Källström

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