News

Programmes of BICTAM for 2008-2010

The Beijing International Center for Theoretical and Applied Mechanics (BICTAM) announced its programmes for 2008-2010. The programmes include two symposia and two summer courses in 2008, one symposium and one workshop in 2009, and one workshop in 2010.

There are seven highlighted areas that will take place in various parts in China. The areas titles are:

1. Surfaces and Interfaces in Solid Matters,
2. Multi-Field Coupling Theory and Smart Materials,
3. International Symposium on Computational Mechanics of Materials,
4. Mechanics and Biomimetics of Biomaterials and Animal Locomotion,
5. Multi-Phase Flows in ABL: Wind Erosion, Dust Storms and Snow Drift,
6. Meshfree/Meshless and Particle Methods, and
7. Mitigation of Earthquake Hazards.

Target participants will be researchers, engineers, and students in Asia and the Pacific and other countries. BICTAM will provide some financial support to students in Asia and the Pacific participating in these activities. Priority will be given to students recommended by the IAP members of BICTAM, and the societies of theoretical and applied mechanics and the relevant societies in the region.

All international students approved and accepted by BICTAM will get free registration and accommodation. A total of 40 students will be supported by BICTAM for year 2008.

For further information on the activities, please visit http://www.bictam.org.cn/Activities.asp and further enquiries can be forwarded to the Secretariat of the BICTAM: Ms. Yang Liu, liuyang@cstam.org.cn or Ms. Yanan Tang, yntang@cstam.org.cn .

ICSU ROAP SCIENCE PLANNING GROUP ON SUSTAINABLE ENERGY MEETS IN KUALA LUMPUR

The Science Planning Group on Sustainable Energy met in Kuala Lumpur on 23 and 24 April 2008. It is the third Science Planning Group established by ICSU ROAP. The ICSU ROAP science plans aim to identify areas of research that needs to be promoted in Asia and the Pacific. The Group on sustainable energy will plan the research agenda on sustainable energy in Asia and the Pacific. In attendance were Derek Gardiner as Interim Chair (ICSU ROAP Regional Committee), Momir Djurovic (Montenegrin Academy of Science and Art), Richard Corkish (University of New South Wales, Australia), Sukanta Roy (Naional Geophysical Research Institute, India), Ajith de Alwis (University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka) and Nordin Hasan (ICSU ROAP – Ex-officio ). Two other members of the planning group, Shuza Murakami and Donghwan Kim) were unable to attend.

The Planning Group deliberated the definitions of sustainable energy in use at present, and possible sources of sustainable energy of prime importance to the region. It is envisaged that the plan will focus on seven energy sources i.e. wind, solar, geothermal, hydro, biomass, ocean energy and energy from waste. It will take into consideration the energy availability in the region, current and emerging technologies and potential applications.

The science plan will guide the work of the ICSU Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific in the next three to six years towards enhancing understanding of the sustainable energy needs and potential in Asia and the Pacific especially in areas where there are significant gaps in our knowledge. Additional members of the Science Planning Group on Sustainable Energy are being sought to strengthen the group.Should you have an interest in contributing to the development of the science plan for the sustainable energy, please contact us at secretariat@icsu-asia-pacific.org .

A total of 37 participants attended including participants who attended the First SGA Follow-up Meeting organised by the United Nations University Institute of Advanced Studies (UNU IAS), researchers from local universities and research institutes, representatives of government departments, and other international organizations such as the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) s.

Dr A. Duraiappah of the Ecosystem Services and Economics Unit of UNEP Head Office in Nairobi, Kenya made a presentation of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment in the context of assessing and understanding the implications of change in ecosystems and their implications to human well being. This was complemented at the start of the workshop by a presentation by Dr B. Chambers of the United Nations University, Institute of Advanced Studies (UNU IAS) on the Millennium Assessment (MA) follow-up strategies and the Sub-Global Assessments (SGA). These presentations shared past experience of the SGA from the MA and provided participants with the latest developments in the MA Follow-up programme. Primarily this involves the establishment of the MA Follow-up SGA Secretariat at the UNU IAS and follow-up with the catalogue of SGA worldwide.

Presentations were made by local researchers of the background to the main areas of thrust for a proposed Malaysian SGA. Each presenter discussed the sectoral and disciplinary aspects of the assessments they propose to conduct. A high-level panel discussion examined the cross-cutting issues. These included how the assessment will be structured, governance of the assessment, the potential for associate assessments and the roles and responsibilities of researchers.

The workshop ended on an enthusiastic note. Many researchers were interested in developing proposals with funding requirements that will form the basis for the Malaysian SGA. The Workshop was closed by Prof Mazlin Mokhtar, the Director of the Institute for Environment and Development (LESTARI) of Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia.

ICSU ROAP HOST MA SUB-GLOBAL ASSESSMENT MEETINGS

ICSU ROAP has just completed co-hosting three meetings related to the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment Sub-Global Follow-up Programme, as part of the activation of its work in its ecosystems priority area. The first was a four-day meeting organized by the UNU Institute of Advanced Studies (IAS), on 10 to 13 April that aimed to re-establish the MA sub-global assessment (SGA) network, in order to present and discuss the rationale, objectives and scope of the sub-global assessment activities as part of the broader strategy of MA follow-up. It also informed participants of new assessments that were not part of the original set of MA SGAs. This meeting was attended by around 80 participants from all over the world and Malaysian participants.

The second meeting held on 14 and 15 April was jointly organized by the United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC). It discussed the structure and content of the MA Methodology Manual with a view to identifying primary needs and receiving sub-global case study material for inclusion in the Manual, and for identifying authors from the sub-global assessments to prepare various chapters of the Manual.

• MA Follow-up and SGAs
• Assessments Understanding Change

Roundtable Discussion On Millennium Ecosystem Assessment Sub-Global Follow-Up In Malaysia - 11 March 2008

ICSU ROAP and its partners the United Nations University Institute of Advanced Studies (UNU IAS), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Institute for Environment and Development (LESTARI) and the Academy of Sciences Malaysia (ASM) will be convening on 11 March 2008 at the Hotel Equatorial Bangi, a Roundtable discussion (RTD) on follow-up activities to the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA). This is the first step towards developing MA follow-up activities in Malaysia .

Ecosystems is a priority area of work of ICSU ROAP and the dialogue will provide the opportunity for researchers to hear the views of key stakeholders on ecosystems changes in Malaysia and their implications from cultural, political and policy perspectives. Presentations by UNI IAS, the Economic Planning Unit of the Prime Ministers Department, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Ministry of Agriculture and Agro-based Industry, and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Malaysia Office, will be making presentations.

The RTD will:

•  Provide an update on the status of knowledge and research in ecosystems;
•  Share practical experiences on the current governmental strategies for development
    that aims to ensure the sustainability of ecosystems services; and
•  To identify future research activities needed to strengthen understanding of the
   linkages between ecosystems services and human wellbeing for sustainable
   development

• Millennium Ecosystem Assessment
• MA Follow-up and SGAs March2008
• Sub-Global Assessment Japan SGA March08

Sixth Continent Initiative Fellowships (6CI)

The Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR), a subsidiary body of ICSU, has announced the launch of its 2008-09 Fellowship programme. This year they are advertising SCAR/IPF/IAI/UNEP Sixth Continent Initiative Fellowships - for postgraduate and/or post-doctoral researchers from within the 34 SCAR Member countries, or from non-traditional polar countries, to undertake research and development activities in the Antarctic. 

The Sixth Continent Initiative (6CI) - "Capacity Building in Antarctic Scientific Research” is an approved International Polar Year (IPY) activity supported by SCAR, the International Polar Foundation (IPF), the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and the International Antarctic Institute (IAI). The aim of 6CI is to widen the exposure of researchers from non-traditionally polar countries to the culture of international scientific cooperation in Antarctica, and its relevance to the global community. 

The Fellowship Programme is designed to encourage the active involvement of early career scientists and engineers in Antarctic scientific research, and to strengthen international capacity and cooperation in Antarctic research.

Further details and application forms may be obtained from the following URL: http://www.scar.org/awards/fellowships/ . The deadline for submissions is 15 May 2008.

The Second GEOSS Asia-Pacific Symposium, 14 – 16 April 2008

Announcement

The 2nd GEOSS AP Symposium is being organized by the GEO Secretariat with the support of the government of Japan , and its goal is to exchange information and enhance common understanding for realizing GEOSS as a tool for sustainable development. The Second GEOSS Asia-Pacific Symposium will focus on the role of Earth Observations in Tackling Climate Change. Under this theme, the 2nd GEOSS AP Symposium will discuss strengthening of observation system and compile a report to recommend in the forthcoming G-8 Hokkaido Toyako Summit in Japan . It will provide parallel sessions on observation and prediction of climate change, impact of climate change on water resource management and impact of climate change on ecosystems and biodiversity. The symposium will take place at Center for The National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation, Tokyo . For more information go to

Opportunities at UNEP ECO-PEACE Leadership Centre

The UNEP Eco-Peace Leadership Center (EPLC) invites individuals from government and civil society organizations to apply to attend training programmes that should help them find solutions to environmental problems. Training is provided around seven themes viz.

- Peace & Cooperation
- Urban Ecology and the Environment
- Water & Dams
- Desertification & Forests
- Local Community Revival
- Environment & Culture and
- Renewable Energy

All candidates should send a ‘Study Plan' based on the real field problems or the current issues that you want to solve in your hometown related to any of the themes. EPLC will offer $2000(USD) as study support fund to the person who get accepted as trainee of the Eco-Peace Leadership Programme. A total of about 25 candidates will be selected.

The EPLC plans to have an Orientation programme in April in Korea for a week and  will cover the expenses including accommodation and air ticket.

Those interested should submit the following documents by end of February

- Introduction of UNEP Eco-Peace Leadership Center
- Application Form
- Study/ Budget Plan Form
- Certificate and academic transcript
- Recommendation letters

Further information is available at the following links.

• introduction: Introduction of Leadership Programme
• Application Form for EPLC Leadership programme
• prospectus: UNEP Eco-Peace Leadership Center

All application materials should be sent to UNEP-EPLC EMAIL or Air Mail

For further information please contact the following person at EPLC:

Ms. Jung In Seo
eplc2006@hanmail.net
Room #111, College of Forest Sciences 1st building,
Kangwon National University,
Hyojadong Chuncheon, Gangwondo, Republic of Korea

Tel : +82-33-257-7129
Fax : +82-33-257-7130
Mobile : +82-10-3239-2079

IUTAM Vice President visits ICSU Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific

Photo
Left to right: Zaneedar, Azmin, Roslinda, Salmi, Keith and Nordin.

The Vice President of the International Union for Theoretical and Applied Mechanics (IUTAM), Emeritus Professor Keith Moffat ( University of Cambridge ), visited the ICSU Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (ROAP) on 10 December 2007. In conjunction with the visit, a dialogue on enhancing international scientific collaboration in the field of theoretical and applied mechanics was held amongst ICSU, IUTAM, the Academy of Sciences Malaysia (ASM) and the Malaysian Mathematical Science Society (PERSAMA). In attendance were the President of PERSAMA, Professor Mohd Salmi Md. Noorani (National University of Malaysia - UKM), members of the Society Dr Roslinda Nazar (UKM) and Azmin Sham Rambely (UKM). The Director of ICSU ROAP Nordin Hasan, who also represented the ASM moderated the dialogue. Also in attendance was Zaneedar Norman (ICSU ROAP).

IUTAM organizes 7 to 8 symposia annually at various locations around the world; an average of one “Summer School” per year; and its General Assembly which is held biennially. A major event held once every four years is the International Congress of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics (ICTAM). The XXII congress will take place in Adelaide , Australia on 24 - 30 August 2008 (see http://ictam2008.adelaide.edu.au/ ).

The dialogue included discussions on how to further enhance the participation of the mechanics community in Malaysia in research at the international level. This included possible participation of Malaysian scientists in activities organized by IUTAM within the ICSU priority area "Natural and human-induced hazards and disasters", focusing on the mechanics (fluid and solid) of hurricanes, floods, earthquakes and tsunamis, and on problems of pollution (ocean, atmosphere, and urban). IUTAM plans to hold a Summer School and/or Workshop in early in 2009 on "Mechanics of Ocean and Atmosphere in relation to Environmental Hazards", which would have both educational and research objectives. The proposed host is the National University of Singapore (NUS), Institute for Mathematical Sciences (IMS). Possible IUTAM membership of PERSAMA through assistance from ASM was also discussed.

ICSU HOLDS REGIONAL CONSULTATION ON SCIENCE PLANS FOR ASIA AND THE PACIFIC

ICSU is holding a 2-day Regional Consultation to define the scope of its work in the short (3 years) and medium-term (6 years) in its priority areas. These are in:

1. Natural and human-induced environmental hazards and disasters;
2. Ecosystem approach in water and food systems; and
3. Sustainable energy.

More information about the Consultation may be found at www.firsticsuroap.org

SEISMOLOGIST WINS KYOTO PRIZE FOR WORK ON EARTHQUAKES

Emeritus Professor Dr. Hiroo Kanamori has been named the winner of the 2007 Kyoto Prize in the basic sciences category for his work on earthquakes. He established the analytical methods that enabled understanding of the rupture process of great earthquakes making full use of seismograms. His study ushered a new era in seismology that had a significant impact on the development of geophysics. He has advanced our knowledge on how to mitigate earthquake hazards based on the understanding gained through basic studies, and contributed to the establishment of earthquake hazard mitigation systems.

For more information go to http://www.inamori-f.or.jp/laureates/k23_b_hiroo/ctn_e.html

CSTAM CELEBRATES GOLDEN JUBILEE

The Chinese Society of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics (CSTAM) celebrated in Beijing recently, 50 years of its formation. In conjunction with this, the Society held its 2007 Congress on Theoretical and Applied Mechanics on 20 and 21 August. The Congress was attended by more than 1,500 members of CSTAM. Throughout China CSTAM has a membership of more than 20,000.

CSTAM played a crucial in the development of mechanics in China . In his speech, the President of CSTAM Professor Li Jiachun described how a strategy for the development of mechanics was established in China in early 1957, and how this was followed with the publication of the first scientific periodical on mechanics in China , the Chinese Journal of Mechanics. Senior Academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) presented keynote addresses at the launch of the Congress.

CSTAM became an adhering organization of IUTAM (International Union of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics), an international union of the ICSU family, in 1980. IUTAM was represented at the Congress by its President, Professor Ben Freund. Earlier that week IUTAM held a meeting of its Bureau in Beijing . Discussions were also held with the participation of a number of key scientists in theoretical and applied mechanics, on the formation of an International Centre for Theoretical and Applied Mechanics based in Beijing . The Centre is expected to play a major role in promoting capacity building in the field of mechanics in Asia and the Pacific .

For more details of CSTAM go to http://www.cstam.org.cn/enindex.asp
Details of IUTAM can be found at http://www.iutam.net/iutam/index.php

UNEP-ROAP GUIDE TO FUNDING SOURCES FOR BIODIVERSITY PROJECTS

The UNEP Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (ROAP) has just released an updated guide to funding sources available for biodiversity conservation and ecosystem studies. These include inter alia  funding sources for projects, awards, research grants, bilateral funding sources, and scholarships.

• UNEP-ROAP Guide to Funding Sources for Biodiversity Projects

SRI LANKA PLANS ICSU NATIONAL COMMITTEE

The National Science Foundation (NSF) of Sri Lanka moves ahead in its plans to establish a National Committee of ICSU in Sri Lanka . The Hon. Minister of Science and Technology, Professor Tissa Vitarana, launched the NSF initiated Workshop to Establish an ICSU National Committee in Colombo on Friday 10 August 2007.

In his speech the Hon. Minister stressed the importance of keeping abreast with the growth of knowledge. He said that all countries should have policies that will create an environment conducive for research, and that science will benefit the country as a whole. He was confident that the programmes arising from the establishment of the ICSU National Committee in Sri Lanka will benefit the people of Sri Lanka , and hopes that these benefits will reach people in the rural areas of Sri Lanka .

The NSF has been a member of ICSU since 1972. It represents more than 30 scientific bodies and institutions in Sri Lanka . The Executive Director of the NSF said that through ICSU the scientists of Sri Lanka will be able to contribute towards national development through regional participation.

Participants of the workshop were strongly supportive of ICSU plans to enhance the science-policy interface. They felt that evidence-based policy-making was crucial for development in Sri Lanka and that policy-makers should be involved with science. Many participants contributed to the discussion on this and there was no doubt that evidence-based policy-making was of high priority and needs to be promoted at all levels of government in Sri Lanka . Participants also foresaw that the National Committee will provide a mechanism by which scientists from diverse fields can come together.

The Workshop endorsed the formation of the ICSU National Committee with the NSF as the coordinating body for the initiative. An Interim ICSU National Committee consisting of eight scientists was formed at the end of the Workshop (see list below). This Committee will draft an initial Terms of Reference for the ICSU National Committee and develop required initial guidelines for its operations. This will have at its core, the interests of Sri Lanka in relation to the ICSU mandate (see ICSU Strategic Plan 2006 – 2011 ). It is anticipated that the National Committee will be established before the end of 2007.

Detection of human influence on twentieth-century precipitation trends

Humans are responsible for the global changes in rainfall observed over the past few decades. The research was published last week in the journal Nature (26 July).

Scientists found that currently observed rainfall patterns could not be accounted for by natural variation in precipitation — those caused by natural changes in climate, or volcanic eruptions and changes in solar radiation, which can also cause changes in rainfall. The model that did match the observed changes was the one that included response to human activities, such as increases in greenhouse gas emissions and sulphate and carbon aerosols — released as a waste-product of burning coal. "The thing that provides the best explanation, and explains most of the changes, is the human influence on the climate system," said one of the researchers. Many developing countries have experienced rainfall changes. Between the equator and 30 degrees north — including the northern part of sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America, South Asia, South-East Asia, and southern China — there has been an average 6–7 per cent decrease in rainfall over the last 75 years. Countries in the band between the equator and 30 degrees south — including the central part of sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America — have experienced an increase in rainfall because a band of heavy precipitation, called the intertropical convergence zone, has shifted further south (Source: SciDevNet 7 August 2007).

• Detection of human influence on twentieth-century precipitation trends

The ICSU Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (ROAP) Science Planning Group on Ecosystem Approach in Water Management and Food Systems met in Kuala Lumpur on 16 and 17 July to plan the agenda for research in Asia and the Pacific. In attendance were Muhamad Awang (Universiti Putra Malaysia – Chair), Nguyen Huang Tri (Center for Environmental Research and Education, Vietnam), Clarice Wilson (Institute of Advanced Studies, United Nations University (UNU), Japan) and Nordin Hasan (ICSU ROAP – Ex-officio ). Two other members of the planning group were unable to attend.

The Planning Group examined the broad concept of the science underlying the ecosystem approach and noted that the approach was being used in many situations and programmes even when it was not called the “ecosystem approach”. Key amongst these were the initiatives under the auspices of the UNESCO Man and Biosphere (MAB) Programme, and the programmes established by the Ramsar Secretariat in the conservation and wise-use of wetland sites. ICSU is seeking a broader mandate for the approach and is in the process of developing plans that could enhance the application of the approach in water resources management and in food systems in Asia and the Pacific. Both the MAB and Ramsar programmes focus on the use of the approach in the management of protected areas. Presentations made at this meeting by the members of the planning group is available alng with other materials on the ecosystem approach, from the Resource Centre page of this website (under Materials on the Ecosystem Approach - http://www.icsu-asia-pacific.org/resourcecentre_EcosystemApproach.htm ).

The science plan on the ecosystem approach aims to guide the work of the ICSU Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific in the next three to ten years in enhancing research activities towards a better understanding of the approach in Asia and the Pacific especially in areas where there are significant gaps in our knowledge of the approach. The meeting took note that follow-up work on the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment is also being planned and that the Institute of Advance Studies of the UNU has accepted a secretariat role for undertaking new sub-global ecosystem assessments (SGA). It is in the process of developing an SGA project in Japan based on the satoyama and satoumi concepts of landscape classification. Satoyama are areas found in rural districts that encompass human settlements and ecosystems that provide numerous vital services for human well-being and is created through prolonged interaction between humans and ecosystems, whereas satoumi are coastal and marine areas where human interaction has resulted in a higher degree of productivity and biodiversity. Another SGA has been proposed to be conducted in Malaysia .

Regional Office Science Planning Group on Hazards and Disasters Meet in Kuala Lumpur

The newly established Science Planning Group on Hazards and Disasters of the ICSU Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific met in Kuala Lumpur to plan the agenda for a programme on hazards and disasters in Asia and the Pacific on 4 and 5 June 2007. In attendance were Harsh Gupta (National Geophysical Research Institute , India), Daniel Murdiyarso (Centre for International Forestry Research, Indonesia), Sereee Supharatid ( Rangsit University, Thailand), Chen Dehui ( Center for Numerical Prediction Research, China), Cao Dinh Trieu (Institute of Geophysics, Vietnam), James Terry (The University of the South Pacific, Fiji Islands), and Chamhuri Siwar (National University of Malaysia). Two other members of the planning group were unable to attend.

The Planning Group took note of the pressing importance of addressing the knowledge needs of the Asia Pacific region where the incidence of hazards and disasters and loss of human lives from hazards and disasters was highest of all the regions of the world. The aim of the plan was to guide the work of the ICSU Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific in the next three to ten years in enhancing research activities and understanding on hazards and disasters in Asia and the Pacific especially in areas where there are significant gaps. The Plan will focus on three primary hazards viz. earthquakes, floods and landslides that frequently become disasters especially in highly populated regions of Asia. In islands of the Pacific, although total loss of lives in disasters may be small, it is disproportionately high when considered in relation to the total population of a particular island. The proposed plan will also suggest how the negative economic and health impacts of hazards and disasters in Asia and the Pacific can be mitigated from past experience in the region.

The Science Plan will be tabled to ICSU members and the science community, especially that of the Asia and Pacific region at a Regional Consultation in November 2007. The Consultation will also discuss plans for work on the other priority area for the Regional Office i.e. promoting the ecosystem approach to water and food management systems. A scoping exercise to determine the agenda for work on sustainable energy, the third priority area identified by the Regional Committee of the Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, will also be undertaken at the Regional Consultation.

ICSU President Wins Trieste Science Award

Goverdhan Mehta, President of ICSU and professor of organic chemistry at the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore has been awarded the Trieste Science Prize for significant advances he has made in the synthesis of organic compounds.  Mehta's group of  researchers have synthesized around 50 complex and biologically active anti-cancer drugs and carbon compounds with potential applications in nanotechnology devices. The Trieste Science Prize honours outstanding scientists who have not yet been awarded other international prizes for scientific achievement. Goverdhan and botanist Herrera-Estrella of Brazil , the other winner this year, will receive their awards at a ceremony in Trieste on 17 May 2007.

http://www.scidev.net/News/index.cfm?fuseaction=readNews&itemid=3597&language=1

First Session of the Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction (GPDRR) 5, 6 and 7 June 2007

Pre-announcement

The Global Platform on Disaster Risk Reduction (GPDRR) was originally known as the Inter-Agency Task Force on Disaster Reduction. The Platform will build on and expand the membership of the Inter-Agency Task Force. Participation in the Global Platform will be open to States.It will also include United Nations and other international agencies, regional organizations, civil society organizations and technical and scientific bodies covering the social, economic, humanitarian, political, environmental and scientific fields and committed to disaster risk reduction. The GPDRR aims at recreating an international forum to discuss disaster risk reduction and the advancement of Hyogo Framework of Action (HFA) implementation in country as well as at the regional and international levels. It will provide a forum for devising strategies and policies to reduce disaster risk, monitoring progress and identifying gaps in policies and programmes and recommending remedial action. It will also aim to ensure complementarity of action at all levels of implementation through increased coordination and cooperation.  Finally, the Global Platform will also facilitate sharing knowledge and lessons among the UN/ISDR system partners.

• Pre-Announcement: Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction

ICSU Regional Committee for Asia and the Pacific Meets in Tehran

The ICSU Regional Committee for Asia and the Pacific held its 3 rd meeting in Tehran , Iran on 6 and 7 March 2007. It was hosted by the University of Tehran ( ut.ac.ir ) and attended by 8 members of the Committee. Conflicts in travel and other schedules prevented four other members of the committee from attending. Professor Derek Gardiner, the newest member of the Committee who is based in Fiji attended the meeting for the first time.

The Committee was apprised of the activities of the Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific since January by its Director, Professor Mohd Nordin Hasan, and on the implementation of the ICSU Strategic Plan 2006 – 2011 by Professor Thomas Rosswall, the Executive Director of ICSU. Various new activities were discussed including plans to hold a one-day forum on the implications of polar warming on earth systems, a brainstorming workshop to delineate and document the roles of academies and associations of science in Asia and the Pacific, and on a roundtable dialogue on freedom and responsibility in science in conjunction with the forthcoming meeting of the ICSU Committee on Freedom and Responsibility in science that will be held in Kuala Lumpur in October.

The basis of a framework for long-term collaboration with UNESCO was also discussed. It is likely that the focus of this collaboration will be capacity building for enhanced scientific research and understanding on the management and mitigation of hazards and disasters in Asia and the Pacific. It was learnt that the UNESCO office in Jakarta was also keen to involve ICSU in promoting research programmes on bio-energy and on science education.

Perhaps the most important matter discussed during the Meeting was on planning the key focus of research development work at the Regional Office. This had been narrowed down to three main themes: natural and human-induced environmental hazards and disasters; ecosystem approach in the management of water resources and food systems; and on energy sustainability. Science plans for the hazards and disasters, and for the ecosystem approach thematic areas, will be prepared and discussed among members of ICSU and key partner organizations at the ICSU Regional Meeting planned for November. With energy sustainability, the Regional Meeting will be used to carefully scope the work of the Regional Office in energy sustainability so that it will truly meet the critical needs of Asia and the Pacific.

The Academy of Sciences for the Developing World (TWAS) Research Fellowships

The Academy of Sciences for the Developing World (TWAS) has initiated various new fellowship programmes for PhD, Postdoctoral and Advanced Research. These schemes present opportunities for scientists and researchers who may be interested in enhancing their scientific knowledge. The fellowships are overseen jointly by TWAS and various host institutes in countries in the South, including Brazil , Pakistan , China and India . They allow scientists from developing countries to study or do research in other developing countries and then to return home to continue their careers.

• TWAS Fellowships 2007

The Mud Volcano in Indonesia

The mud volcano that has been flooding the Indonesian town of Sidoarjo since May 2006 has so far been both a defeat and an opportunity for scientific understanding. How did it destroy the town and what is being down to stem the flow?

• Mud Volcano

Policymakers should focus on climate adaptation (Source:www.scidev.net)

Policymakers need to give more attention to adaptation policies to cope with climate-related impacts, regardless of their cause, argue Roger Pielke and colleagues in an article in Nature. The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) pushes mitigation policies, thinking adaptation is only necessary because of climate change associated with rising greenhouse gas emissions. However there are non-climate factors — such as rapid population growth along coastlines — that make a far more important contribution to people's vulnerability to climate events. They suggest that one reason for the absence of policies that focus on adaptation may be the lack of a high-profile international body to promote the broad benefits of adaptation strategies. The authors say that unless adaptation strategies are given as much attention and investment as other policies promoted by the UNFCCC, the effects of climatic events on vulnerable societies will continue to rise no matter how much greenhouse gas emissions are cut. Read article.

• World Bank discussion paper for discussion
  

Global Forum: Building Science, Technology, and Innovation Capacity for Sustainable Growth and Poverty Reduction

On February 13-15, 2007, the World Bank, in partnership with CIDA. DFID, Global Research Alliance (GRA), Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), Science Initiative Group (SIG), UNCTAD, and UNESCO, will convene a Global Forum on Building Science, Technology, and Innovation Capacity for Sustainable Growth and Poverty Reduction. The Forum will seek to understand the lessons of previous and ongoing STI capacity building experiences and map out new and more effective ways for governments, industry, academia, foundations, and donors to work together to apply STI capacity building to development in low and middle-income countries ...  more.

• Climate Change Adaptation
  

Report on the new geography of science launched

 A UK think-tank Demos in a recent report on science and innovation in China , India and South Korea reported that these countries were "innovation hotspots" and can become centres of research dominance in future. The Atlas of Ideas reports were the result of an 18-month study of science and innovation in Asia, with a focus on opportunities for collaboration with the UK and Europe . The project was funded by the UK government and a consortium of public and private sector partners. A project summary can be found at
http://www.demos.co.uk/files/File/ATLASsummaryLong.pdf

For more go to http://www.demos.co.uk/projects/atlasofideas/overview

Third Ministerial Conference on Space Applications for Sustainable Development in Asia and the Pacific
Kuala Lumpur , 5-10 February 2007
(This meeting has been postponed. The new date and venue will be communicated in due course.)

The Third Ministerial Conference on Space Applications for Sustainable Development in Asia and the Pacific will be held in Kuala Lumpur from 5 to 10 February 2007 under the auspices of the United Nations Economic and Social Com~ission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), with generous hospitality to be provided by the Government of Malaysia.

The Conference will consist of two major segments, namely the Preparatory Meeting of Senior Officials from 5 to 7 February, and the Ministerial Meeting from 8 to 10 February 2007 . The Ministerial Conference is expected to be attended by ministers and senior officials of the members and associate member countries of the UNESCAP.

The Conference is being convened with a new vision to enhance regional cooperation and consider concrete steps towards developing effective institutional arrangements designed to facilitate operational applications of space-based information and communication technologies among members and associate members of ESCAP. It will

• assess the implementation of the Regional Space Applications Programme for Sustainable Development;
  
• examine the converging trends in information, communication and space technologies and the issues facing the region in reaching internationally agreed development goals; and
  
• recommend a regional strategy and action plan and cooperative mechanisms in priority areas that are of common concern to the countries of Asia and the Pacific.

Further details regarding the Ministerial Conference, its provisional agenda, annotated provisional agenda, tentative programme, background documents to be deliberated upon during the Conference, and the information note for participants, are being progressively uploaded at the following website:
http://www.unescap.org/icstd/space/3MC/ 3MC_index.asp.

Climate Policy Project of the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES)

The Climate Policy Project of the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES), that was conducted in collaboration with several organizations across the Asia-Pacific region, aims to promote new and constructive thinking on future actions against climate change beyond 2012, and to contribute to the shaping of a regime that adequately reflects concerns and developmental aspirations of countries in the region.

The consultations were held in 2006 in East, Southeast, and South Asia focussed on four specific themes:

• 1. energy security and development needs,
• 2. CDM,
• 3. technology issues and
• 4. adaptation.

The major outcomes of this project has been published in a report entitled "Asian aspirations for climate regime beyond 2012" that is available in PDF format at http://enviroscope.iges.or.jp/modules/envirolib/view.php?docid=535

If you are interested, the report based on consultations held in 2005 entitled "Asian Perspectives on Climate Regime Beyond 2012: Concerns, Interests and Priorities", is also available in PDF format at http://enviroscope.iges.or.jp/modules/envirolib/view.php?docid=169

Fellowships in Sustainability Science Center for International Development, Harvard University. Due date for preliminary applications: December 15, 2006

The Sustainability Science Program at Harvard University 's Center for International Development invites applications for resident fellowships in sustainability science for the University's academic year beginning in September 2007. The fellowship competition is open to advanced doctoral and post-doctoral students, and to professionals engaged in the practice of harnessing science and technology to promote sustainable development.

Successful applicants will spend their fellowships in residence at the Sustainability Science Program, receiving a competitive stipend plus health, office space and computer support, and access to Harvard's libraries and other research facilities.

The Sustainability Science Program seeks to advance basic understanding of the dynamics of human-environment systems; to facilitate the design, implementation, and evaluation of practical interventions that promote sustainability in particular places and contexts; and to improve linkages between relevant research and innovation communities on the one hand, and relevant policy and management communities on the other.

More information about the Fellowship may be obtained from http://www.cid.harvard.edu/sustsci/grants /fellows/index.html and an application coversheet at the following URL http://www.cid.harvard.edu/sustsci/grants/fellows/ 07_fellows_cover_sheet.htm

Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia inaugurates ICSU’s Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific

This Regional Office was inaugurated on the 19 September by the Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia, Y.A.B. Dato’ Seri Najib Tun Abdul Razak. The new office will promote the development of science throughout Asia and the Pacific and help strengthen the voice of developing countries in this region. It will also ensure that its scientists become involved in those aspects of the ICSU 2006-2011 Strategic Plan that are especially relevant for this area. The official inauguration was accompanied by the 2nd Meeting of the ICSU Regional Committee for Asia and the Pacific (18-20 September) and the Regional Conference on Natural and Human-Induced Environmental Hazards and Disasters (17-20 Sept)

• Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia inaugurates ICSU’s Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific
• ICSU hosts conference on hazards and disasters

International Polar Year, 2007-2008

Fifty years ago, ICSU sponsored the International Geophysical Year established a new paradigm for international collaboration in the earth sciences. Scientists across the world are now gearing up the International Polar year (IPY) 2007-2008. For more information please go to www.ipy.org

Director of ICSU Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific appointed

On the occasion of its 93rd meeting, the ICSU Executive Board appointed Professor Mohd Nordin Hasan as Director of the ICSU Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific.

• Short biodata of Prof. Mohd Nordin Hasan