26-29 March 2012

Abstract submission is now open for this major international science conference focusing on solutions to the global sustainability challenge.

This is an open call for participants and for abstracts for presentations and posters to be submitted against the session topics described on the conference website under the following outline:

-Day 1: State of the planet: the latest knowledge about the pressures on the planet

-Day 2: Options and opportunities: exchanging knowledge about ways of reducing the pressures on the planet, promoting transformative changes for a sustainable future and adapting to changes in the global system

-Day 3: Challenges to progress: clarifying what is preventing or slowing humanity from implementing potential solutions

-Day 4: Ways ahead: a vision for 2050 and beyond, and exploring new partnerships and pathways towards global sustainability

Each day will include relevant aspects of the conference themes:

- A. Meeting global needs: food, energy, water and other ecosystem services
- B. Transforming our way of living: development pathways under global environmental change
- C. Governing across scales: innovative stewardship of the Earth system

The closing date for abstract submission is 19 August 2011.
Please note, additional sessions will be advertised over the next few weeks.

Developing World Involvement

A mentoring scheme is available for those who would like guidance in preparing abstracts and developing presentations for the conference. The conference organisers are also aiming to offer financial assistance to participants from the developing world.

Why you should attend

The conference will provide a comprehensive update of the pressure planet Earth is now under. The conference will discuss solutions at all scales to move societies on to a sustainable pathway and will provide scientific leadership towards the 2012 UN Conference on Sustainable Development – Rio+20.

The programme is designed to attract senior policymakers, industry leaders, NGOs, young scientists, the media, health specialists, and academics from many disciplines.

For further information on submitting an abstract, conference themes and sessions, mentoring and funding visit: www.planetunderpressure2012.net.

[From the NERC Knowledge Exchange List Server]

NERC is pleased to announce the next round of Knowledge Exchange Call (KE Call), with a closing date of 4pm on 3 November 2010.
The Call’s aim is to promote the exchange of knowledge, people, skills and expertise between the research base and those in the user community who can make use of this.
To reflect NERC’s strategic alignment of knowledge exchange funding to key areas of impact and the implementation of its knowledge exchange programmes, we particularly welcome proposals in the following areas, and will be prioritising funding in these areas:
- Marine renewable energy
- Water security
- Financial services
– Environmental monitoring

Further information on the KE Call is at: http://www.nerc.ac.uk/using/schemes/kecall.asp.

NERC will run the KE Call and the KE Fellowships schemes together: applicants may submit a proposal to either of these schemes at the same time. Proposals may be linked, if appropriate, although they will be assessed separately as stand alone applications. Information on KE Fellowships is at: http://www.nerc.ac.uk/using/schemes/kefellows.asp.

The scheme promotes partnership between eligible research organisations and public or private sector organisations, and enhances the training of the student who can spend between 3 and 18 months in a workplace outside the academic environment.

The CASE partner should provide the impetus and initial requirement for the studentship and must supplement the student’s maintenance grant by at least £1000pa.

The closing date for applications is 16.00 on 14 October 2010.

As well as an open round for applications within NERC’s remit, up to five studentships will be awarded in each of the six priority areas listed below, to facilitate collaboration with private sector partners:
a) water
b) energy
c) Food and agriculture
d) resource management (minerals, forestry, waste etc)
e) financial services (risk management and valuation, including insurance)
f) environmental monitoring

Visit the Call’s web page for further information.
The JeS form will be available from 1 September, and more detailed guidance will be on the web page before the end of August.