IESP/IAS Workshop "Resilience as Requirement for Sustainable Developement - A Contribution to Tackle the Earth Crises"
Date: March 28-30, 2012
Location: Wildbad Kreuth (South of Munich, Germany)
In September 2008 the participants of our workshop on “Earth System Engineering: The Art of Dealing Wisely with the Planet Earth” identified four major, closely intertwined global threats resulting from
- global warming & climate change (1),
- deficiency of energy, water and food (2),
- loss of ecosystem function (3), and
- progress of instabilities of societies and economies (4).
It was concluded that mitigation of such threats requires concerted action of science and society. However, the question remained open which kind of action might be most effective in getting safeguarded the life enabling condition on Earth and prosperity of humanity alike.
In the framework of a follow-up workshop we want to explore whether thermodynamic considerations, the theory of non-linear dynamic systems and the resulting philosophy of resilience and sustainability might provide a sound platform for making decision on actions to mitigate the above mentioned complex of global threats. The participants of the workshop are called upon answering the question how to preserve the capacity of the Earth System to withstand anthropogenic impacts. How can we purposely preserve or even strengthen the Earth System´s resilience? Our goal is to gain a better understanding of the resilience and the limitations of the earth systems and to develop recommendations for actions and necessary research.
Organized by IESP and IAS in cooperation with
EASA, Institute of Advanced Studies on Sustainability
EWP, European Water Partnership
CoR, EU Chapter of the Club of Rome
IWA, International Water Association
Funded by the Bavarian State Ministry of the Environment and Public Health
Detailed information can be found here.
