__________________________________________________
Call for Papers "Ethics and Climate Change: Scenarios for justice and sustainability" 6th International Conference on Ethics and Environmental Policies Fondazione Lanza Euro-Mediterranean Centre on Climate Change Padova (Italy) 23-26 October 2008 __________________________________________________ Climate change represents a planetary emergency our societies will have to face during the XXI century. Recent EU and ONU reports on the matter emphasizes, on the basis of an increasing amount of information and scientific data gathered in the past five years by the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) scientists, that the main cause for such phenomenon is undoubtedly represented by the use of fossil fuels for energy production and distribution. Many are the scientific, economic, political, and ethical implications our societies have to deal with facing such topic. The Sixth International Conference intends (see previous events) to focus on such issues discussing on values and principles that can help both the international community and the single individual to find sustainable mitigation and adaptation solutions to such impelling threats. The reference principle, pointed out by the Kyoto Protocol, is the common but differentiated responsibility, but which justice and equity criteria shall guide economic and political decisions? How to divide the fallouts of mitigation and adaptation policies, and the costs for implementing such measures? Organizing Subjects The Conference is promoted by the Fondazione Lanza "Ethics and Environmental Policies" Project, whose activities aim at supporting a new responsibility towards the environment and sustainable development, together with the Euro-Mediterranean Centre on Climate Change. Other organizations and institutions, national and international, will be involved in the collaboration and patronage of the Conference. Scientific Committee For the event a Scientific Committee has been established ad hoc. International experts in various disciplines have been involved in identifying the themes and contents of the Conference and their support will be crucial in evaluating and selecting the papers to be presented at the event. Themes and Contents Motivated by the awareness of the urgency and complexity of the challenges presented by ecological issues and their interaction with social systems, the event intends to offer its contribution in identifying shared and equitable ethical criteria useful for the international debate and for the elaboration of 2012 post-Kyoto international protocol. International economic and political positions and local efforts in facing the expected climate changes in the world will be then presented together with appropriate ethical and cultural arguments on values and principles necessary to guide people's concrete choices at political, economic and social levels. The issue of global warming urges our societies to modify not only their organizational models and development choices, but also their production and consumption modalities, behaviors, and lifestyles in order to achieve sustainable development. The Conference, through a positive interaction and dialogue among the fields of science, ethics and politics, intends to focus on and identify some ethical principles, especially on justice and responsibility matters, crucial for the promotion of sustainability processes to be implemented under the next post-Kyoto agreements. Participants The initiative is directed to 200 participants representing Universities and Research Centers, Local, National and International Institutions, Business Sectors, NGOs and Environmental Associations, Churches and Civil Society, Press and Media. Program The Conference will be inaugurated by a three-voice talk on "Science, ethics, and politics facing climate change" (Thursday, October 23, evening). In the three Plenary Sessions international speakers (experts, scholars, and politicians) will present contributions on the main areas of discussion: scientific data, ethical data, economic data, and political strategies. - "Science and climate change" (Friday, October 24, morning) - "Sustainability and equity: post-Kyoto ethics and law" (Saturday, October 25, morning) - "Climate change: political and economic answers" (Sunday, October 26, morning) There will also be three Parallel Sessions (Friday, October 24, 14.30-16.30) on the following topics: Communication, Cities, and Health. These moments should allow the discussion through the comparison of an analytical moment (Analysis) with a creative proposal (Vision). There will also be a Special Session (Saturday, October 25, 17.00-19.00) on "Spirituality and Religions dealing with Climate Change Issues". Papers and posters will be then presented within dedicated sessions. Call for papers We ask for papers and preformed paper panels pertaining to all aspects of the Conference issue. Interdisciplinary approaches and best practice examples are especially welcome. To facilitate paper presentation, proposals are encouraged to focus on the following topics (keywords are suggested): 1. Science and Climate: climatic change and scientific expectations; scientific uncertainty and political action; new technology; 2. Equity and Sustainability: climate change, International community, and International law; climate change and responsible subjects (state, local authorities, enterprises, civil society); climate change and ethics; religions and sustainability; 3. Communication and Society: communication means; role of the media; education; 4. Cities and Climate Change: transportation; wastes; energy; bio-architecture, lifestyles, participation; local sustainable policies; social impacts; 5. Health and Adaptation Strategies: health and social dimensions; economic and entrepreneurial dimensions; prevention and emergencies, environmental refugees. The proposals should also try to deals with the following conceptual dualities: - Analysis/conflicts - Scenarios/creativity - Best practices/facts Each Session will feature 10 presentations at most, strictly limited to a maximum of twenty minutes each, with time for questions and discussion. All or part of these Sessions will be activated according to the number and subjects of the papers selected. Abstracts (30-60 lines in English) for papers and posters must be sent by April 30, 2008. Please include a title, your name, institutional affiliation, contact and information. Proposals will be subjected to a review process by the Conference Scientific Committee. All abstracts selected will be notified not later than June 30, 2008. Not chosen proposals could be presented under a panel format. Final papers will have to be sent and received by August 31, 2008. Paper format: 10 pages maximum (20,000 characters / 2,000-character page) in English. Registration fee The Conference Registration Fee is 200 Euro. It is under consideration the possibility of offering, for participants coming from Non-European countries (with particular attention to Eastern European and Mediterranean countries), financial support covering (totally or partially) the participation costs. Sustainability Conference activities will be organized to minimize environmental impacts. Contact: Dr. Lucia Mariani, Dr. Matteo Mascia Ethics and Environmental Policies Project Fondazione Lanza Via Dante, 55 I-35139 Padova Italy Tel./Fax: +39 049 8756788 Email: [email protected] Web: http://www.webethics.net/padova2008/ __________________________________________________ InterPhil List Administration: http://interphil.polylog.org Intercultural Philosophy Calendar: http://cal.polylog.org
