International Conference on Sustainable Urban Environmental Practices

The Southeast Asia Urban Environmental Management Applications (SEA-UEMA) Project at the Asian Institute of Technology, in cooperation with the Chiang Mai Municipality and Mae Fah Luang University, will hold the International Conference on Sustainable Urban Environmental Practices on October 28-31, 2008.

The four-day event, which will be held in Chiang Mai, Thailand, will provide a dynamic platform for experts, policymakers, non-government and community organizations to exchange ideas and find solutions to the growing number of problems brought by the rapid and often haphazard expansion of urban areas. Specifically, conference delegates will focus on the following five themes:

Urban Environmental Management towards Sustainability
Urbanization and Land-use Planning
Livable City and Institutionalization of Good Practices
Sustainable Mitigation of Urban Pollution
City Energy, Climate Change and Globalization
Aside from being a venue for discussion, the conference is expected to produce aid decision makers in making their own cities and municipalities a greener and livable place for them and for the future generation.

Interested participants can send their abstracts by June 2, 2008 via email to shapkota@ait.ac.th or by regular mail to the conference secretariat: SEA-UEMA Project, AIT, P.O Box 4 Klong Luang Pathumthani, 12120, Thailand. For more details, please visit http://www.sea-uema.ait.ac.th/2008/IC/announcement.html for schedules, technical guidelines and other related queries.

The SEA-UEMA Project is a joint initiative of the Asian Institute of Technology in Thailand and the Canadian International Development Agency. The project aims to improve urban environmental management policies and good practices in the region.

Objectives

The conference is being organized to share an understanding of sustainable urban environmental theory and practices with various stakeholders, managers and practitioners of sustainable urban development in this globalizing era. The specific objectives are:

1. To exchange views and ideas on institutional collaboration, community participation and synergistic public private partnership among the urban stakeholders in the region;

2. To derive information on good practices for dissemination to all local and national policy makers and policy influencers towards the development of suitable UEM policies; and

3. To analyze and improve current policies and practices in urban development and understand their gender responsiveness in implementation.

Conference Themes

The conference will be organized as panels of themes on sustainable urban environmental practices. Each panel would be based on a theme or one/more sub-themes and comprise 4-6 papers chaired by an expert on the subject.

A. Urban Environmental Management towards Sustainability
Strategic Environmental Assessment
Urban Disaster Management
Integrated Environmental Management Systems
Urban Environmental Economics and Finance
B. Urbanization and Land-use Planning
Sustainable Infrastructure and Green Buildings
Green Zones/ Environmental Zones (green belt, open space)
Urban Revitalization Programs
Ecosystem Restoration
C. Livable City and Institutionalization of UEM Good Practices
Good Governance and Environmental Management
Gender Issues in UEM
Conflict, Mediation, Dialog and Resolution through Effective Policies
Synergistic Public-Private Partnerships
D. Sustainable Mitigation of Urban Pollution
Integrated Urban Waste Management Systems (solid waste, wastewater and sanitation)s
Cleaner Production and Appropriate Technologies
Good Practices in Environmental Technology
Policy implications of Good Practices
E. City Energy, Climate Change and Globalization
Renewable Energy Resources and Alternative Fuels
GHG Reduction, Emissions Trading and other Air Emission Abatement Measures
Climate Forecasting, Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation
UEM Policies geared towards mitigating the above
References:
Dr. Nowarat Coowanitwong
Asian Institute of Technology
Klong Luang, Pathumthani
12120, Thailand
Tel: +66-2524-6132
Email: nowarat@ait.ac.th
Dr. Romyen Kosaikanont
School of Management
Mae Fah Luang University
333 M. 1 Thasud, Muang
Chiang Rai, 57100, Thailand
Email: rkosaikanont@hotmail.com
For further information, please contact:
Contact Person
Mr. Prajapati Shapkota
SEA-UEMA Project, UEM /SERD,
Asian Institute of Technology
Post Box 4, Klong Luang
Pathumthani 12120, Thailand
Tel: +66-2524-8342,
Fax: +66-2524-8338/6380
Email: shapkota@ait.ac.th