Conference concept

Global sustainable development issues, and connected environmental and ecological problems such as climate change and other related issues do not recognize state boundaries. Therefore, intentions to mitigate these problems require a trans-disciplinary, multi-actor, multi-sector and multi-level approach. Sustainability and climate change issues are the cutting edge topics that require immediate and the highest consideration within education, research, policy and governance at all levels and in all economic sectors.

Sustainable development is a paramount issue that requires effective communication between science, policy, and practice in different countries. In order to adapt to changing conditions it is important to ascertain how, not only different scientific fields, but also policy and practice perceive it. Sustainability issues are particularly important for the Southeast Europe region, since countries from this region are in different stages of EU integration process. This Kolleg scope is compatible with  the document “the Future We Want” (the outcome document of the Rio+20 Conference), which includes broad sustainability objectives within themes of Poverty Eradication, Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture, Energy, Sustainable Transport, Sustainable Cities, Health and Population and Promoting Full and Productive Employment. Furthermore, the proposed Kolleg is in accordance with the Europe 2020 strategy (adopted by the European Council in 2010) priorities, and particularly with “...sustainable growth: promoting a more resource efficient, greener and more competitive economy”.

Climate changes are one of the most significant social, economic and environmental problems today and the risk of their negative effects is increasing. The document “the Future We Want” assess climate change as “…an inevitable and urgent global challenge with long-term implications for the sustainable development of all countries”. The importance of implementing the research on climate change is also addressed in “The EU Strategy on adaptation to climate change”, adopted by the European Commission in 2013. One of the key actions defined in the Strategy is to “...bridge the knowledge gap”. Some of the identified knowledge gaps are:“...information on damage and adaptation costs and benefits” and “...regional and local-level analyses and risk assessments”.

The announced Kolleg would like to challenge AvH fellows, scientists and junior researchers, regarding a possible collaboration prospect. Thus, the purpose of the Kolleg will be the establishment of the network of scientists, policy- and decision-makers, professionals, and junior researchers. Such network should address the challenges of the sustainable development and climate changes, as the cutting edge topics. The representatives of the competent ministries, public enterprises, private sector and international NGOs showed interest in participating in the Kolleg addressing very current issues.

In that sense, the main objectives of the Kolleg are inter-university networking, knowledge exchange and fostering new knowledge, based on science, policy and practice. We expect more than 150 participants from EU and the Western Balkans countries. The following keynote speakers (the eminent researchers in the field of sustainable development and climate change) have accepted the invitation to participate in the Kolleg:

• Prof. Dr. Walter Leal, Hamburg University, Faculty of Life Sciences, Hamburg, Germany
• Prof. Dr. Pim Martens, Maastricht University, International Centre for Integrated assessment and Sustainable development, Maastricht, the Netherlands (AvH fellow)
• Dr. Jose Pinto-Bazurco, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Bonn, Germany (AvH fellow)
• Prof. Dr. Martin Kaltschmitt, Technical University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
• Prof. Dr. Michael Pregernig, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, Freiburg, Germany
• Prof. Dr. Daniela Kleinschmit, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources, Freiburg, Germany
• Prof. Dr. Mile Ivanda, Center of Excellence for Advanced Materials and Sensing Devices, Rudjer Boskovic Institute, Zagreb (AvH fellow)
• Prof. Dr. Mihai Dima, University of Bucharest, Faculty of Physics, Department of Matter Structure, Atmospheric and Earth Physics, Astrophysics, Bucharest, Romania (AvH fellow)