NEWSLETTER

Dear ESEE Member,

We are pleased to send you the monthly edition of the new electronic ESEE newsletter.
Supported by the Austrian Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management the Sustainable Europe Research Institute SERI is able to maintain the website of the European Society for Ecological Economics (ESEE) and publishes this newsletter.

The newsletter is distributed only to members of the European Society for Ecological Economics. To join ESEE or renew your membership please visit www.euroecolecon.org.

If you want to publish interesting news, or information about events, job openings and new publications on the website or in the newsletter, feel free to send an email to esee@seri.at. We are also open for suggestions to improve our communication channels.


Content:

1. News from ESEE and its members

  • Note from the President: ESEE is 10 YEARS!
  • Call for nominations to stand for election to the ESEE Administrative Board
  • Future ESEE conferences

2. Other news

  • Looking for Ecological Economics in Portuguese and Spanish?
  • New ICM Postgraduate Degree Programme
  • Water crisis hits rich countries

3. Hot topic

  • Happiness and sustainability

4. Events

  • First Solar Lakes Conference
  • Workshop-Symposium: New Ways Towards a Sustainable Post-Modern Society
  • Defining research priorities in support to the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries management
  • ESEE 2007: Integrating Natural and Social Sciences for Sustainability
  • PhD Student and Early Stage Researcher Workshop at ESEE 2007
  • ISEE 2006: Ninth Biennual Conference of International Society for Ecological Economics on "Ecological Sustainability and Human Well-Being"

5. Job openings

  • PostDoc-Position in Social Metabolism, Institute of Social Ecology, Vienna
  • Research Associates - Centre for Urban and Regional Ecology, Manchester
  • RESOLVE – Post Doctoral Research Fellow
  • University of Manchester - Various Posts

6. Publications

  • The Future of Sustainability. Re-thinking Environment and Development in the Twenty-first Century

1. News from ESEE and its members:


Note from the President: ESEE is 10 YEARS
!

10 years has elapsed since ESEE was established at an exciting conference in Versailles in 1996. It was a very engaging meeting from which I especially remember three issues: The strong spirit of collective engagement into something new; the discussions over the focus of ecological economics (EE) in general and what the European society should emphasize; and finally, the elections of Sylvie Faucheux as president and the (almost unbelievable) tied vote between Jan van der Straaten and Clive Spash as standing for the post of vice president, leading to a change in the constitution allowing for two vice presidents.

For me this was the second time I went to an EE meeting (the first was the ISEE meeting in Stockholm in 1992) and the spirit of it had a very strong influence of my future choices of research. It also opened the door to contacts with a lot of people that I new about, but had never met before. I believe it played similar roles for most others at the conference.

The discussions about the ‘soul’ of EE were certainly the most distinct and important ones at the Versailles meeting. From the very beginning a strong element of European EE was the emphasis on including socio-economics perspectives. Certainly, EE was from its roots in the 1960s and 70s more focussed on material flow aspects of the economy-ecology interactions, the question of material substitution and the issue of growth etc. Hence, EE was formed on a critique of the conceptualization of the relationships between the economy and its material base as envisioned in neoclassical/environmental economics. What the European ‘version’ of EE already from the beginning added to this, was a focus on socio-economic aspects – not least emphasizing the plurality of values and the importance of social processes in forming preferences and values. The broad acceptance of this was very clearly demonstrated by the quite strong reactions against David Pearce, when he in his appearance at Versailles claimed EE to be a sub discipline of environmental economics. At that moment I felt the big auditorium of the conference was almost on fire!

Since then ESEE has managed to develop itself as a quite distinct ‘flower’ within the ISEE bouquet. This is the result of many peoples’ effort. Mentioning some will always be felt unfair to all the others. Still, the role of the past presidents – Sylvie Faucheux and Clive Spash (two periods) – and the secretaries Martin O’Connor, Claudia Carter and Wendy Kenyon must be emphasized. I would also like to mention Ben Davies running the newsletter for a substantial part of the period. They have all put tre­mendous efforts into building ESEE.

In the same vain one must mention the teams standing behind the various biannual congresses ESEE has arranged: In 1996 at the University of Versailles with the team headed by Faucheux and O’Connor; in 1998 at the University of Geneva with the team led by Beat Burgenmeier and Roderick Lawrence; in 2000 at the Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration with the team led by Uwe Schubert, Klaus Kubeczko and Sigrid Stagl; in 2005 at the New University of Lisbon with a team chaired by Paula Antunes. In between two Frontiers conferences were also arranged: in 2001 at the University of Cambridge with the team lead by Spash and Carter; in 2003 at the University of La Laguna with the team led by Juan Sanchez and Federico Aguilera Klink.

I mention these conferences because they have been crucial in keeping momentum to the organization. The moving of our conferences from even to odd numbered years was moti­vated by the need to place them in-between years with ISEE conferences. This explains the appearance of the somewhat smaller Frontiers conferences in 2001 and 2003 and the halt in arranging the larger conferences for some years. This also implies that there is no opportunity available for celebrating the 10 years anniversary at a conference. This is a pity. My proposal is that we find a way of doing this at the next conference in Leipzig. While we have challenges ahead, we should be very proud of what is accomplished so far.

Congratulations!!

Arild Vatn


Call for nominations to stand for election to the ESEE Administrative Board

The terms of many members of the ESEE board are about to end. We therefore propose to hold elections for 10 posts to the ESEE Administrative Board. Elections take place in two phases. First, this announcement is a call for nominations. Second, a vote of fully paid members registered with the ISEE as ESEE 2006 members will be conducted by mail ballot to decide amongst the nominated individuals.

Administrative board members are elected for a 3 year term and can expect to be involved in: attending annual board meetings, work on two of the four standing committees (conference & meetings, publications & publicity, education, and fund raising & membership), producing their own initiatives, supplying items for the ESEE Newsletter. Election to the Board offers an opportunity to become involved in the running and future direction of the ESEE.

Those standing for the Board have to be fully paid members and require the agreed support of 5 fully paid current members of the ESEE. Nominees should also provide a half page statement of their background and intended contribution to the Board and Society.

Nominations should be sent to ESEE secretariat by email (w.kenyon@macaulay.ac.uk), or to the postal address Macaulay Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen, AB15 8QH, UK by 15th September 2006, and should include:

  • A list of 5 fully paid ESEE members who agree to support the candidates nomination
  • A short statement of intent and background (12pt, single spaced, in English)

These details will be supplied (including possible website posting) as part of the election process to ESEE members.

Warm regards, Wendy Kenyon (ESEE Secretary)


Future ESEE conferences
If you are interested in hosting one of the next ESEE conferences (2009 or 2011), please contact Sigrid Stagl, s.stagl@sussex.ac.uk, ph. ++44-1273-872784.

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2. Other news:


Looking for Ecological Economics in Portuguese and Spanish?
Check out the Iberoamerican Journal of Ecological Economics
(Revista Iberoamericana de Economía Ecológica)

The Iberoamerican Network for Ecological Economics (REDIBEC) offers a portal with information on ecological economics in both Portuguese and Spanish. Apart of organising the Biennial Iberoamerican Conference on Environment and Development (next in 2007 in Costa Rica), it publishes the Revista Iberoamericana de Economía Ecológica, REVIBEC.

REVIBEC is a peer-reviewed scientific journal published online with papers in Portuguese and Spanish. The Secretariat is located in FLACSO Ecuador, under the Programme of Economics. REVIBEC promotes and diseminates scientific debate on ecological economics in Latin America, Portugal and Spain.

Please be aware that in October 15th, 2006 an issue on Material and Energy flows in Latin America will be published.

Papers are free to download at: www.redibec.org/archivos/revibec.htm.
REVIBEC is indexed in Catálogo de Revistas del Sistema Latindex.


New ICM Postgraduate Degree Programme

We are glad to announce the new Postgraduate Degree Programme Integrated Coastal Management in the Mediterranean - Educom @ med. The course is organised by Ca'Foscari University of Venice (Italy), Cairo University (Egypt), University Pablo de Olavide (Spain), University of Split (Croatia) and PAP/RAC of UNEP/MAP.

For more information click here.


Water crisis hits rich countries

A new WWF-Report states that "water crises, long seen as a problem of only the poorest, are increasingly affecting some of the world’s wealthiest nations, warns WWF ahead of World Water Week. The global conservation organization’s report, Rich countries, poor water, is one of the first comprehensive overviews of water issues in the developed world".

The report shows that a combination of climate change and drought and loss of wetlands that store water, along with poorly thought out water infrastructure and resource mismanagement, is making this crisis truly global. The report highlights impacts of water problems in countries such as Australia, Spain, Japan, and the UK, and the US.

In Europe, countries on the Atlantic are suffering recurring droughts, while water-intensive tourism and irrigated agriculture are endangering water resources in the Mediterranean. In Australia, the world’s driest continent, salinity is a major threat to a large proportion of its key agricultural areas (
© WWF).

Download the WWF-Report [pdf 2,56 MB]

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3. Hot topic:


Happiness and sustainability

One can think of sustainable development as a concept that allows the current generation to be/become happy without negative impacts on the happiness of future generations. In 2003, a group of European sustainability experts met in the Provence to discuss the question: “How can sustainability be brought closer to the people?” There, a basic definition was developed which has entered the new European sustainable development strategy (June 2006), “the overarching objective of sustainable development (SD) is to secure and increase the quality of life for all people as a precondition for individual happiness“ (see also www.gosd.net/Pignans.pdf).

International studies show that the majority of human beings in the industrialised world act to a high degree against their own happiness and against that of others. Work and consumption offer them only a little, at best only short term, benefit in well-being, whilst many of those activities have got negative impacts on the environment and people mainly in developing countries. This, the current lifestyles of most of us is not only unsustainable, but is also not improving our well-being. There are strong deficits in the area of immaterial values, in the fulfilment of the desire for self-realisation, good relationships and harmony with nature.
Of course there is a positive relation between welfare and well-being. But this relationship is not linear. Above an annual income of 20.000 US Dollar there is hardly any correlation (New Economics Foundation 2004).

Happiness… what does it mean for science and research?
Happiness research is gaining ground. For instance:

  • the British think tank “New Economics Foundation” published global data about the (un)happy Planet Index at the last G8 summit in St.Petersburg (www.happyplanetindex.org/). The study evaluated countries according to the satisfaction of the population, the life expectany and the ecological footprint. In the Western world, Austria ranks second after Malta, which is only on rank 40. The US has the lowest index in the Western world (rank 150).
  • The Global Environment Outlook (GEO) is one important product of the United Nations Environment Programme (www.unep.org). Chapter 8 (SERI is co-leading) of GEO-4, to be published in 2007, addresses well-being and vulnerability and the policy options for improving well-being, and reducing the vulnerability of the human-environment system.
  • The subjective life satisfaction is measured in the US by the General Social Survey or in Europe with the Eurobarometer.
  • The economists Kahneman und Krueger (2006) try to measure happiness by asking test persons how much time they are in a uncomfortable state over a certain period of time.
  • Ruut Veenhofen, a Dutch researcher, suggest the indicator Happy Life Expectancy to measure happiness of nations. It gives the expectancy of happy life years. Data from the World Value Survey (it gives the subjective happiness of citizens) is combined with the average life expectancy. Switzerland has currently the highest Happy Life Expectancy with 63 years, Moldavia ranks last with 20.5 years (see www1.eur.nl/fsw/happiness).
  • Sigrid Stagl (ESEE vice president) and Mick Common devote in their textbook “Ecological Economics. An Introduction” (2005, Cambridge University Press) one chapter to “Economic growth and well-being”. Among others they present non-economic indicators of well-being and explain relationships between them and GDP and they try to answer the question “What makes people happy?” (www.cambridge.org/uk/catalogue/catalogue.asp?isbn=0521016703).
  • In Bhutan, a small country in the Himalaya with about 635 000 inhabitants, well-being is aim of official policy. For King Jigme Singye Wangchuck the Gross National Happiness (coined by the king in 1972) is more important than the GDP. GNH is the overarching concept, the central guide for planning and development in Bhutan. This concept has its roots in the cultural heritage of Buthan and its spiritual tradition of the Buddhism. While conventional development models stress economic growth as the ultimate objective, the concept of GNH is based on the premise that true development of human society takes place when material and spiritual development occur side by side to complement and reinforce each other. The four pillars of GNH are the promotion of equitable and sustainable socio-economic development, preservation and promotion of cultural values, conservation of the natural environment, and establishment of good governance.

    A new concept related to the GNH is the Gross International Happiness. It aims to connect the international efforts which are taking place in the field of developing alternative development indicators, human economics and happiness psychology, so that individual efforts can benefit from each other and that collectively these efforts more strongly impact international development agenda’s (http://www.grossinternationalhappiness.org/ and http://www.bhutanstudies.org.bt/publications/gnh/gnh.htm).
  • The Sustainable Europe Research Institute (SERI) uses happiness research as one of its main approaches to link sustainable development with other important fields of research (www.seri.at/happiness).

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4. Events:

First Solar Lakes Conference
24 to 27 September 2006 in Friedrichshafen at Lake Constance

The “Use of renewable energies in European lakes regions” is the focal point of the first Solar Lakes Conference which will be organised by the Global Nature Fund from 24 to 27 September 2006 in Friedrichshafen at Lake Constance, Germany. One of the key issues will be the development of alternative energies taking into account aspects of nature protection. Experts from all over Europe will report on the topics “Energy efficiency in lake regions as contribution to the climate protection”, “The use of renewable energies in businesses”, “Intelligent use of energy in tourism” and “Funding instruments for sustainable energy systems”. Outstanding examples and an excursion in the Lake Constance region will complete the programme.

For booking until 19 September the registration fee amounts 100,00 EUR. Registrations for specific days - benefiting of a reduced participation fee - are also possible.

Online registration is possible under www.globalnature.org/SLC. There you will also find the detailed conference programme.

Partners of the conference are Deutsche Umwelthilfe (German Environmental Aid), Bodensee-Stiftung (Lake Constance Foundation) and the medium-sized company Kärcher. The conference is being supported by the European Union in the frame of Intelligent Energy Europe programme as well as the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety.

For further information contact: Melanie Reimer, e-mail: reimer@globalnature.org
Website: www.globalnature.org


"New Ways Towards a Sustainable Post-Modern Society"
Workshop-Symposium of the European Sustainability Forum, 27th to 30th of Sept. 2006

Scenarios for a Sustainable Future: Alternative Paradigms and Visions - Guiding Principles for a Future of Sustainability)
Download more information.


Defining research priorities in support to the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries management
One-Day conference in Paris, 24th October 2006

While the principles of the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries management (EAF) are by now well established, and its first applications largely underway, only limited attention has been devoted to the implications of EAF for future research in support of the sustainable harvesting of goods and services from marine ecosystems. In order to address this issue, a prospective analysis of future research needs in support of EAF was carried out by Ifremer.
The aim of the analysis was to explore possible evolutions in the environmental, economic and institutional context in which marine fisheries develop, and to identify associated key research areas. The analysis focused on medium to long-term evolutions of societal demand for scientific advice, and on the nature of the research required in order to respond to these questions.

The outcomes of this analysis will be presented and discussed during a one-day conference in Paris, on the 24th October 2006. EAF field experiences, as well as thoughts for research will be presented by internationally recognised experts, and will serve as a basis for an open discussion on future research in support of fisheries management. Download the Invitation and Registration form.


ESEE 2007: Integrating Natural and Social Sciences for Sustainability
5-8 June 2007, UFZ - Centre for Environmental Research in Leipzig, Germany

The European Society for Ecological Economics (ESEE), in co-operation with the German associations for ecological economics VÖÖ and VÖW, invite you to meet in Leipzig for the 7th international conference.
The conference will explore contemporary scientific approaches for putting the concept of Sustainable Development into research and into practice, and it will focus on bridging natural and social sciences. It will address sustainability topics such as loss of biodiversity, human vulnerability to global change and water problems on all geographical and institutional levels. The conference aims to contribute to a better understanding of societal and natural processes and their interaction by integrating scientific methodologies to overcome the shortcomings of disciplinary and multi-disciplinary approaches. Impediments to inter- and transdisciplinary research will be examined and new research concepts for sustainability identified.

Note that the registration for ESEE 2007 is open now! Come and join us when we talk about "Integrating Natural and Social Sciences for Sustainability" in Leipzig, Germany, from 5-8th June 2007. Keynote speakers include Elinor Ostrom, Malte Faber, Dick Norgaard, Inge Roepke, Clive Spash, and Carl Folke. The first deadline for submitting symposia is 20 September, the deadline for submitting abstracts and papers is 20 November. Have a look at www.esee-leipzig2007.org and think about your contribution!

Visit the conference website.


PhD Student and Early Stage Researcher Workshop at ESEE 2007
3-5 June 2007, Leipzig

Ahead of the seventh ESEE conference in Leipzig Germany, a special two and a half day workshop will be organized for and by PhD students and Early Stage Researchers. The objectives of this workshop are essentially three fold: (1) create and organize a student network in the field of Ecological Economics, (2) confront students’ perspectives on interdisciplinary science and the prospects of Ecological Economics, (3) provide a forum for students to share experiences and stimulate collaboration. The workshop's programme includes lectures, group discussions and a field trip in the vicinity of Leipzig. Prof. Richard Norgaard, Dr. Sigrid Stagl and Dr. Martin Drechsler will inspire and provoke discussions with their presentations. More info on this exciting event will be available on the ESEE 2007 conference web site (http://www.esee2007.ufz.de) but mark the dates on your calendar now: June 3 to 5, 2007!


ISEE 2006: Ninth Biennual Conference of International Society for Ecological Economics on "Ecological Sustainability and Human Well-Being"
15-18 December, 2006, New Delhi.
Important dates:
- submission of abstracts: July 31, 2006
- intimation of acceptance: August 31, 2006
- submission of full paper: October 31, 2006

For more information visit http://www.isee2006.com/index.htm

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5. Job openings:


PostDoc-Position in Social Metabolism, Institute of Social Ecology, Vienna

At the Institute of Social Ecology in Vienna (Faculty of Interdisciplinary Studies - IFF - at Klagenfurt University) headed by Marina Fischer-Kowalski we offer a post-doc position starting in January 2007. For more information click here.


Research Associates - Centre for Urban and Regional Ecology, Manchester

This is an advance notice for Research Associate positions coming up at the Centre for Urban & Regional Ecology (CURE), at the School of Environment and Development in Manchester. We are seeking talented researchers, with UK / EU experience, in several multi-disciplinary areas: Economic development & ecological economics modelling: focused on the Ecological Budget UK and One Planet Economy Network initiative; Environmental policy analysis & modelling: focused on a FP6 project on spatial development / peri-urban land use; Other projects are working on evaluation and appraisal methods, systems modelling and innovation policy.

The general research approach follows from City-Region 2020 (Earthscan). We are now active in environment-development studies, spatial development studies, information systems and evaluation / participation. Some details of current research activity are on http://www.sed.manchester.ac.uk/research/cure and http://www.eco-region.org.

Part time / flexible positions or other arrangements are viable: initial term of 18 months with renewal to follow: salary depending on skills & experience. Please send enquiries to joe.ravetz@manchester.ac.uk.


RESOLVE – Post Doctoral Research Fellow

Post Doctoral Research Fellow in Governance and Policy Implications for a Sustainable Energy Economy (Ref: 5586), ESRC Research Group on Lifestyle, Values and the Environment (RESOLVE), Centre for Environmental Strategy, University of Surrey. Salary: £25,633 per annum.

A post-doctoral position is available for one year to study the role of policy in effecting a transition to a sustainable energy economy and the implications for governance flowing from the social, psychological and cultural dimensions of energy-related behaviours being investigated by other members of the research group. This study will employ policy analysis, case study analysis and historical and conceptual exegesis.

A major component of the work will be a critical analysis of past and existing policy frameworks. These will be complemented by carefully selected case studies – some chosen to inform the analysis of policy and others to illuminate alternative concepts of governance such as community-based management, organisational change, transition management and models of evolutionary change.

A synthetic component to the work in this theme will involve the posing and testing of alternative hypotheses of ‘lifestyle governance’. This position is within the recently awarded, ESRC funded Research Group on Lifestyles, Values and the Environment (RESOLVE) a new and exciting multidisciplinary collaboration located entirely within UniS, across four internationally acclaimed departments: the Centre for Environmental Strategy, the Surrey Energy Economics Centre, the Environmental Psychology Research Group and the Department of Sociology. The group aims to provide robust, evidence-based advice to policy-makers in the UK and elsewhere who are seeking to understand and to influence the behaviours and practices of ‘energy consumers’.

Informal enquiries can be made to Dr Michael Peters on 01483 682184 or m.peters@surrey.ac.uk. To apply, please visit our website http://www.surrey.ac.uk or contact Kathy Lilley on 01483 686600 or resolve@surrey.ac.uk. Please state reference 5586, your postal address and where you saw this advert. Closing date for applications is 11th September 2006.


University of Manchester - Various Posts

Please see the links below for further information on the following new/replacement posts in the School of Environment and Development, University of Manchester:

Chair in Human Geography. www.manchester.ac.uk/aboutus/jobs/academic/vacancy/index.htm?ref=73903

3 Lectureship in Human Geography - 2 posts (internal only). Closing date to be amended to 8 Sept 06. www.campus.manchester.ac.uk/staffnet/jobs/academic/vacancy/index.htm?ref=73849

Lectureship in Development Economics and Policy. www.manchester.ac.uk/aboutus/jobs/academic/vacancy/index.htm?ref=73932

2 Research Associate in Social Studies of Buildings, Energy and the Environment. Research Associate in Public Engagement with Renewable Energy.
www.manchester.ac.uk/aboutus/jobs/research/vacancy/index.htm?ref=73487

7 Editorial Assistant (part time), Progress in Planning www.manchester.ac.uk/aboutus/jobs/secretarial/vacancy/index.htm?ref=74154

Two further positions (Lectureship in Spatial Planning and Lectureship in Human Geography (fixed term)) - will be advertised in September.

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6. New Publications:


The Future of Sustainability
Re-thinking Environment and Development in the Twenty-first Century

by W.M. Adams, University of Cambridge, UK (
© The World Conservation Union)
Report of the IUCN Renowned Thinkers Meeting.
Download.

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The ESEE Newsletter is published by the European Society for Ecological Economics (ESEE). Its purpose is to inform ESEE members of developments both within the Society and in other areas of potential interest. It is published monthly and is sent free to ESEE members. The views expressed are those of the individual contributors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Society as a whole.

The European Society for Ecological Economics is a not-for-profit organisation devoted to the development of theory and practice in ecological economics in Europe. Membership is open to all interested individuals working in Europe or in other areas on request. For membership details please visit: http://www.euroecolecon.org.

If you have any suggestions on how to improve our Newsletter please let us know. If you would prefer not to receive it, please send an Email with the subject unsubscribe to esee@seri.at

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© 2006 European Society for Ecological Economics.