Worldwide Convening Connects Science and Sustainability
Over the past two years, Alcoa Foundation’s Conservation & Sustainability Fellowship Program has been building a global network of academic partners, sustainability institutes, internal and external advisors, and researchers working on priority sustainability issues. To date, that network has been virtual, with exchanges being primarily through the Internet and by phone.
That will all change November 29 to December 3, 2006, when the program’s participants come together with representatives from business, government, and non-governmental organizations from every continent at the program’s first Worldwide Convening in Brussels. The event will launch the Alcoa Foundation Global Conservation & Sustainability Network, unleashing the leverage and linkages already being generated by the fellowship program to address the most pressing sustainability issues facing the world today.
The convening will include eminent thought leaders like John Elkington, founder and chief entrepreneur of SustainAbility, who see great opportunities for the results from this network.
“The Alcoa Foundation convening looks set to be a powerful catalyst, both in terms of connecting the worlds of science and sustainability and building links between groups of people who work in often disparate communities of research, practice, and investment,” said Elkington. “It will be an opportunity to bring together a global network of future leaders and influential institutions to leverage sustainability research—and to share and test innovative and interdisciplinary work.”
Current research from the program’s fellows, which will be highlighted at the convening, is focused on the following four sustainability issues:
- Conservation of Fragile Ecosystems and Biodiversity;
- Climate Change and Energy;
- Sustainability, Livelihoods, and Economic Growth; and
- Integrating Sustainability into Public Policy and Governance.
A unique aspect to the event is the Market Place, where researchers, practitioners, and other stakeholders will exhibit and share their sustainability-related work, research, ideas, or technology. This will be a visible demonstration of the breadth and future possibilities of the network.
“We hope that this will be a multi-pathway exchange of ideas and new practices,” said Anita Roper, Alcoa’s director of Sustainability. “Representatives from Alcoa will be there to learn, build linkages, and discover ideas about putting sustainability into action. There might be an avenue where Alcoa can help a fellow with his or her research. Conversely, we hope there might also be ways in which some of these thought leaders may be able to help Alcoa businesses and the communities where they operate identify innovative ways of approaching sustainability issues they are experiencing.”
Additional details about the Worldwide Convening will be available in the coming months on the program website.
 return to summary
|
|
Global Reach
See where program partners and fellows are located throughout the world.
go
|
