Nexus Thinking in a Changing World

Addressing interlinked sustainability issues in a rapidly changing world requires that we recognise and respond appropriately to the nexus between human health and wellbeing, urbanisation, and ecosystem services (the ‘WUE nexus’). This nexus is a priority area for research, policy and practice. In particular, it provides a useful pathway to meet the challenges of successful implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Read about the nexus, and the three policy recommendations that were derived in the scientific brief for the GSDR 2016:

1. By emphasising urban-rural linkages, foster an integrated approach to ensure food security, food safety, and health promotion;

2. Secure resilient livelihoods for all, in particular for vulnerable groups; and

3. Integrate co-production of knowledge in science for decision-making, including the co-design of implementation frameworks, and the adoption of a nexus approach.

Brief GSDR2016 FE Fellows: WUE Nexus

(Kusch, Sigrid; Fleming, Aysha; Cradock-Henry, Nicholas; Schmitz, Nele; Pereira, Laura; Vogt, Jess; Lim, Michelle; Kharrazi, Ali; Evoh, Chijioke J.; Hamel, Perrine; Bollmohr, Silke; Patterson, James; Adler, Carolina; Waterlander, Wilma; Sugiura, Ai; Augustyn, Anna M.; Dogra, Atul; Mukherjee, Nibedita; Onzere, Sheila; Mahomoodally, Fawzi; Hughes, Alice C.; Bowen, Kathryn; Tironi, Antonio; Smith, Kiah; Hoffenson, Steven; Udenigwe, Chibuike C.: Sustainability in a changing world: integrating human health and wellbeing, urbanisation, and ecosystem services. Brief for the UN Global Sustainable Development Report (GSDR), 2016)

World School Championship on Reforestation

The WSC has had a successful start organised by “Art for All in the World” and is now heading forward to foster 18 outstanding reforestation projects in 4 continents. Students and teachers – make it your championship this year!

FORESTS FOR ALL TWINING SCHOOLS AND CULTURES

The World School Championship on Reforestation 2016 is on its way to achieve a highly valuable impact for sustainable development. We wish and excellent further progress of the initiative, and much success to all individuals and organisations participating in the championship.

Sigrid Kusch, together with her team, appreciates having been nominated by Peter Claesson for the UNV Online Volunteering Award 2015, and also thanks her team members for valuable contributions at the early stages of the initiative.

Urban Community Power

Renewable energy facilities owned by the community: a glance at cooperatives for renewable energy in the context of sustainable urbanisation:

Cooperatively Owned RE Facilities

(Kusch, Sigrid; Beggio, Giovanni: Cooperatively owned renewable energy facilities – unlocking urban community power. In: Condie, Jenna; Cooper, Anna Mary (edt.): Dialogues of sustainable urbanisation: social science research and transition to urban contexts. Penrith: University of Western Sydney, 2015, pp. 252-255 (ISSC Book of Blogs))

Social Innovation and E-Waste – Hackerspaces and Co.

WEEE (waste electrical and electronic equipment) is one of the fastest-growing waste streams worldwide and in the EU. There is urgent need to explore and find responses for sustainable management of this material stream. Read more here:

E-Waste and Hackerspaces

(Lazzarin, Lorianna; Kusch, Sigrid: E-Waste management framework and the importance of producer responsibility and proactive hackerspaces. EIIC 2015, pp. 188-192)

Equine Waste – Why is it still a Problem?

Management of equine waste and its potential valorisation is not a new issue on agendas. Why is the huge potential of horse manure currently still largely untapped? A range of explanations can be provided: Management and Valorisation of Equine Waste

(Kusch, Sigrid: Management and valorisation of equine waste: a review and SWOT analysis. News in Engineering 2 (2), 2014, pp. 47-54)

Online Conference – Resources-friendly Option to Communicate Findings

Online conferences save time and resources, and in addition create opportunities to integrate a wide variety of participants and topics.

Having accepted the nomination to the ‘Section Chairman Committee’ of the 4th Electronic International Interdisciplinary Conference (EIIC 2015), to be held completely online from 10 to 14 August 2015, Sigrid Kusch will have a focus on environmental topics. The deadline for submission of papers is 03 July 2015. More information on the conference website: www.eiic.cz

An option to communicate some of your findings in a fast way without the need to travel to a conference?

GSDR Brief ‘Industrial Symbiosis’ online

The brief “Industrial symbiosis: powerful mechanisms for sustainable use of environmental resources” was submitted by Sigrid Kusch to the UN Global Sustainable Development Report 2015. All briefs are open for rating and discussion until 31 March 2015. Some of the topics will be featured in the relevant chapters of the 2015 GSDR report. This provides a good opportunity to bring selected topics forward.

Link to the platform with all briefs: https://gsdr2015.wordpress.com/

Direct link to the brief “Industrial symbiosis”: https://gsdr2015.wordpress.com/2015/03/08/industrial-symbiosis-powerful-mechanisms-for-sustainable-use-of-environmental-resources/

 

Update 28 June 2015:

The GSDR Report 2015, Advance Unedited Version, is available on the Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform:

https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/

 

ScEnSers Independent Expertise

Science and Engineering for Sustainable Environmental Resources

ScEnSers is an umbrella organisation to foster independent expertise. It was founded in October 2014 by Dr. Sigrid Kusch.

www.scensers.org

www.scensers.net

mail (a) scensers.org