URBIO 2012
Mumbai, India
8th Mon. -12th Fri. October 2012
Main Theme: Urban Biodiversity and Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation
SECOND CALL FOR PAPERS
The 3rd International conference of Urban Biodiversity and Design (URBIO 2012) is being organized by the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay and will be held in Mumbai, India from 8th to 12th October 2012. Dr. Ahmed Djoghlaf – Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity, Montreal and the Ministry of Environment and Forests, India are the patrons of this conference.
URBIO is an open worldwide scientific network for education and research that aims to promote biodiversity in the urban context through a continuing dialogue with the Convention on Biological Diversity’s Global Partnership on Local Action for Biodiversity. To implement the Strategic Plan 2011-2020 of the CBD in the urban context, URBIO 2012 will be held before CBD-COP 11, planned for Hyderabad in October 2012, and will feed into its deliberations, as well as into the Second City Biodiversity Summit.
Conference Themes
We look for submission in the following broad themes.
1) Vulnerability of Urban ecosystems and biodiversity and its management
Urban ecosystems have an important function as habitat corridors for flora and fauna and are extremely vulnerable due to various economic factors, climate change and natural factors. Some of the impacts can be loss of species and microbes, changes in species composition, reduction in resilience to pests, increase in invasive alien species, changes in species composition, degradation of urban water bodies , increase in floods, heat waves etc impacting the health, economy and welfare of urban dwellers. The symposium looks for papers on the vulnerabilities and their impacts on human well-being and ecology.
2) Role of Urban biodiversity and ecosystems in mitigating climate change
Urban biodiversity plays a crucial role in mitigating climate change. Urban green cover has a significant potential to absorb carbon dioxide, regulate air quality, improve the microclimate, reduce the heat etc. Management of these green spaces significantly improves the quality of urban life. Some local authorities in different parts of the world have adopted good management practices like encouraging green vegetation, designing urban development plans with minimum impact on biodiversity, zoning, developing green infrastructure etc. The session seeks to explore how the local bodies or local governments can manage their urban ecosystems so as to mitigate climate change
3) Tools and Indicators for measuring urban sustainability
Cities which succeed in promoting growth without compromising the quality of environment and socio-cultural environmental are deemed sustainable. We need indicators to measure whether we are moving towards it and also to provide information to policy. Some descriptive indicators, performance indicators and thematic indicators already exist. Some examples of indicators relevant to biodiversity include global climate indicator, environmental quality indicators, city biodiversity index, ecological foot prints, carbon footprints, green public space and heritage indicators etc. We look for papers on indicators and tools applied in the context of urban biodiversity
4) Role of Green Infrastructure and design
Green infrastructure and green design has ample potential to conserve biodiversity in an urban setting and offers possibilities to combat and adapt to climate change. We call for papers which explore how green infrastructure and design can generate win-win scenarios.
5) Role of Innovative financial mechanisms in biodiversity conservation/climate change mitigation/adaptation
The session would look into the scope, potential benefits and constraints for innovative financial mechanisms like the payment for ecosystem services, REDD plus mechanisms, biodiversity offsets, green infrastructure bonds, environmental fiscal reforms, green budgets, eco-budgets, certification and labeling, business biodiversity partnerships etc. that can help raise finances to achieve the targets in the context of urban biodiversity and climate change.
We also accept submissions relating to various issues with urban biodiversity.
CONFERENCE DEADLINES
1st April 2012 – Deadline for paper, session and poster abstract submission
15th May 2012 – Author notification
1st July 2012 – Deadline for early bird registration
15th August 2012 – Deadline for registration for papers to be included in the program
1st September 2012 – Deadline for upload of full papers to conference website
8th October 2012 – Conference Begins
Further details including registration details, conference venue, field trips, accommodation, etc. will be announced on the conference web-page www.hss.iitb.ac.in/urbio2012 from 15th November 2011.
Haripriya Gundimeda | Chair of the Organizing Committee, URBIO 2012
Contact: urbio2012@hss.iitb.ac.in
