SCOPE Urban Environment Project
CONTENT
Brief introduction to SCOPE-Ecopolis-Project
Project organization
SAC - Scientific Advisory Committee
Regional groups
Associated institutions
Scientific key questions
Phasing
2004 Activities
2005 Activities planned
How to contribute to the project?
Documentation
Downloads
Contact us
For SAC Members only
Brief introduction to SCOPE-Ecopolis-Project
SCOPE's scientific program consists of projects focused on the concepts and practices of sustainability: maintaining the life-support system of humankind by safeguarding the natural resources over time. Its aim is to contribute to designing processes and practices which reduce the depletion rate of non-renewable resources, identify substitute resources, and assure a sustainable supply of renewable resources. SCOPE holds that these resources must be managed in accordance with the strongest possible scientific basis, cultural sensitivity and social justice.
SCOPE has initiated the project of ˇ°Adaptive Ecopolis Development to Meet the Challenge of Environmental Changeˇ± - short name: "SCOPE-Ecopolis-Project" in April 2004.
The SCOPE-Ecopolis-Project is supervised by a Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) and organized on the base of regional groups. The China Beijing Regional Group, headed by Prof. WANG Rusong of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Research Center for Eco-environmental Sciences, is responsible for management of the research project.
The research project started with the 1st SAC meeting in October 2004. It consists of three phases:
Phase I: Assessment of relevant urban problems and lessons and experiences of example-cities (2005)
Phase II: Development of region-specific solutions and implementation tools (2006/2007)
Phase III: Publications and dissemination of final project results (2007/2008)
The SCOPE-Ecopolis-Project is supervised by a Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) and organized on the base of regional groups. The project is co-chaired by Rusong Wang (China-CAST) and Ian Douglas (UK). The China Beijing Regional Group, headed by Prof. WANG Rusong of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Research Center for Eco-environmental Sciences, is responsible for management of the research project.
Figure: Organization of SCOPE Ecopolis Project
SAC - Scientific Advisory Committee
Project leaders and chairmen of SAC - Scientific Advisory Committee:
Prof. Dr. Rusong WANG, Research Institute for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China
Prof. Dr. Ian DOUGLAS, School of Geography, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
Members of SAC:
Billy Cobbett, World Bank Cities Alliance Initiative, Washington, DC, USA
Peter Dogse, Programme Specialist, MAB Secretariat, Division of Ecological Sciences, UNESCO, Paris, France
Peter J. Marcotullio, The United Nations University, and University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
Peter Newman, Director of the Sustainability Policy Unit, Dept. of Premier and Cabinet, Western Australia
Richard C. Rockwell, Professor of Sociology, University of Connecticut, Storrs CT, USA
Alexander Tetior, Moscow State University of Environmental Engineering, Moscow, Russia
Rodrigo Victor, Coordinator, Sao Paulo City Green Belt Biosphere Reserve. Sao Paulo, Brazil.SAC
SAC Membership candidate:
Philipp J. Vergraght, Visiting Senior Fellow, Tellus Institute (Ressource and Environmental Strategies), Boston, MA, USA.
Project secretary, scientific coordination:
Project secretary and scientific coordination are currently located at Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
Dipl.-Ing. Juergen Paulussen, Senior Advisor on Sustainable Urban Development in the Framework of the German CIM-Program
Regional Group Asia and the Pacific (Beijing/ China)
Prof. Dr. Wang Rusong: RCEES - Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences
/ CAS - Chinese Academy of Sciences, 18 Shuangqing Road, Beijing 100085, China,
Tel: 86-10-62849103(O), 62917796(H), Fax: 86-10-62943807, 86-10-62923563, E-mail:
wangrs@mail.rcees.ac.cn rusongw@163bj.com
Juergen Paulussen: juergen.paulussen@web.de
Regional Group Europe-1 Manchester/ UK
Prof. Dr. Ian Douglas, School of Geography, University of Manchester, School
of Geography, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, UK,
Email: ian.douglas6@ntlworld.com, Tel:44-161/2753642, Fax: 44-161/2757878
Regional Group Europe-2 Germany
Regional Group North America
Regional Group South America
Regional Group South Asia / India
Under the impression of the most serious natural disaster of the last hundred years, the December 2004-Tsunami, causing a loss of approximately 200 000 human lives, and making 5 Mio inhabitants of the region homeless, "Ecopolis Development" appears with a specific urgency. We strongly encourage researchers from the South Asia Region, to participate in the SCOPE Ecopolis project later in 2005 year - after the most urgent measures have been done to restore basic living conditions, and to implement reconstruction of the affected areas in their home countries. We are convinced that their experience and advice is necessary and highly valuable for a research project on sustainable urban development. On the other hand, our network of researchers and planners can probably contribute with expertise to their work, reconstructing devastated cities and areas in a sustainable way.
Regional Group Africa
Associated Institutions
Jacky Foo, organizer of the "1st Internet Conference on Ecocity Development", Jan.-May 2003.
Key Scientific Questions of SCOPE-Ecopolis-Project
1. What are the ecological dimensions of urban environmental problems?
2. What are the main driving forces of urban and peri-urban environmental change?
3. What are the main ecosystem services influencing and modifying habitats in urban areas?
4. How do urban production, consumption, transportation, waste reduction and regulation contribute to the environmental impacts?
5. What is the relationship between urban planning and design and the environmental effects such as the urban heat island, local air pollution and global greenhouse gas emissions, the hydrological cycle, and changes to peri-urban areas?
6. How may the social, economic and natural factors be integrated into urban planning, design and management under a complex ecosystem framework?
7. What indicators are required to assess ecopolis development and progress towards greater sustainability, in terms of eco-sanitation, eco-security, eco-health, eco-metabolism and eco-culture, both individually and collectively?
8. What can be learnt from sharing experiences and lessons of ecopolis development in different countries of the world?
9. What kind of adaptive approach should be taken by decision makers, business and industry and civil society in cities at different stages and ecological change?
10. How should experiences, methods and technologies of ecological urban development be transferred between different countries and cultural contexts, without neglecting specific natural, cultural, social and economic differences?
Phasing
The research project started with the 1st SAC meeting in October 2004. It consists of three phases:
Phase I: Assessment of relevant urban problems and lessons and experiences of example-cities (2005)
Phase II: Development of region-specific solutions and implementation tools (2006/2007)
Phase III: Publications and dissemination of final project results (2007/2008)
During the first phase of this research project, a number of surveys will be carried out.
General
Apr 2004 Project approved by SCOPE directorium
Oct 19, 2004 1st meeting of SAC - Scientific Advisory Committee at Ningbo, China
Oct 17-20, 2004 International Forum on Ecopolis Development, Ningbo, China
Dec
Regional Groups
Regional Group East Asia/ China: Organization of Forum and SAC-meeting at Ningbo.
April - June Survey / Questionnaire
Oct 2005 2nd meeting of SAC:Regional Group Europe/ UK:
An international conference and a 2nd SAC-meeting in Manchester, autumn 2005
Regional Group East Asia/ China:
Survey on international experience in implementing Ecopolis development.
How to contribute to the project?
You have several opportunities to contribute to SCOPE Ecopolis Project:
Scientific contributions:
Submit a case study
Participate in our surveys: (links will be provided later)
Send your commentary on prominent projects on Ecopolis development, as well
as on our project.
Voluntary work:
Participate in preparation and evaluation of surveys and internet conference.
Link your current research work, e.g. your university graduation paper, to SCOPE
Ecopolis Project, and benefit from rich international experience background
of researchers linked to the SCOPE project.
Translate key papers into other main languages than English, in order to reach
wider audience in different world regions.
Funding, donations:
The budget of SCOPE organization for the project is limited. The regional groups
are requested to raise funds for their part of the workload, e.g. for regional
meetings and publications. In the past, meetings of SAC-Scientific Advisory
Committee have been linked to international conferences and forums. Organizers
and sponsors of international events on issues of sustainable and regional urban
development are encouraged to consider, if they may cooperate with us, and contribute
to networking and scientific background this way. Financial contributions to
publications and an internet-conference are welcomed too.
A final documentation of SCOPE Ecopolis Project is targeted to be published in 2007/2008. A number of intermediate publications - like brochures, articles, and information on web, will be provided earlier.
Downloads
Provide download opportunity:
The
Shenzhen-Declaration on Ecocity-Development
Outline
of project prospectus ECOPOLIS_by_SAC1_2004-10-Ningbo
International
Ecopolis Forum Ningbo 2004 Summary
SCOPE-Scientific Committee
on Problems of the Environment
SCOPE CAST China
For SAC Members only
