This directory contains a summary description of all GRNSD Scientific Meta-Network Groups. For more information, please contact the coordinator of the group that you are interested in. If you would like to start a group about a subject which is not yet represented, please contact:
Aldo de Moor
General Coordinator
Infolab - Tilburg University
P.O.Box 90153 - 5000 LE Tilburg
The Netherlands
E-mail: grnsd@kub.nl
Fax : +31-13-663069
Group Name : Apiculture Group Code : GD-API Group Coordinator : Prof.Dr. Peter Kevan Dept. of Environmental Biology University of Guelph Canada (E-mail: pkevan@uoguelph.ca Fax : +1-519-837-0442)
Discipline:
Apiculture focuses on beekeeping as an activity, including management of pollination of crops and native plants.
Group Goals:
Group Name : Plant Protection Entomology Group Code : GD-PPE Group Coordinator : Prof.Dr. Peter Kevan Dept. of Environmental Biology University of Guelph Canada (E-mail: pkevan@uoguelph.ca Fax : 1-519-837-0442)
Discipline:
Economic and plant protection entomology concerns itself with issues like biological control and integrated pest management of insect pests of field and plantation crops, trees, and native flora.
Group Goals:
Group Name : Population Genetics Group Code : GD-PG Group Coordinator : Prof.Dr. Steven Stewart University of Guelph Canada (E-mail: sstewart@uoguelph.ca Fax : +1-519-767-1991)
Discipline:
Population genetics is concerned with the thousands of genetic differences among individuals. In particular, it is concerned with understanding how genetic differences among individuals change over generations and with understanding the processes that most strongly effect this biodiversity.
Group Goals:
To provide widespread access to the tools of populations genetics. These are important to sustainable systems because economically sustainable species must also be genetically sustainable. Population genetics tools useful to sustainable development include:
Group Name : Atmospheric Dispersion of Chemicals Group Code : GT-ATMDC Group Coordinator : Dr. Ivo Bouwmans Interduct (Delft University Clean Technology Institute) The Netherlands (E-mail: Ivo@dutw239.TUDelft.NL Fax : +31-15-786682)
Theme:
The atmosphere is a complex system in which chemicals - originating from various sources - are dispersed by various mechanisms. Models that accurately describe the dispersion process and the effects of chemicals will allow predictions of how man-made chemicals affect the environment. Special attention require the greenhouse effect, the thinning ozone layer and the effect of industrial emissions on the biosphere. Cross-compartment effects should be taken into account, e.g. the exchange of CO2 between oceans and the atmosphere, and deposition of chemicals on land.
Group Goals:
Group Name: Environmental Law and Policy Group Code: GT-ELP Group Coordinator: Prof. Chris Tollefson Faculty of Law University of Victoria Canada (E-mail: ctollef@uvvm.uvic.ca Fax : +1-604-721-8146)
Theme:
The group is concerned with the role of law, and in the interaction between law and other disciplines, in promoting sustainable development.
Group Goals:
To encourage interdisciplinary dialogue, collaboration and research in a variety of law and policy areas relating to sustainable development, including:
Group Name : Intellectual Property Rights of Indigenous People, Innovators, and Communities Group Code : GT-IPR Group Coordinator: Prof. Anil Gupta Society for Research and Initiatives for Sustainable Technologies and Institutions (SRISTI) / Centre for Management in Agriculture Indian Institute of Management India (E-mail: anilg@iimahd.ernet.in Fax : +91-272-427896)
Theme:
Sustainability requires not just a worldview which promotes respect for nature, but also access to technologies and institutions which help in operationalising this world view. A large number of research studies world over to document and analyse the indigenous ecological knowledge system, have highlighted the role of local innovations, technological heuristics and traditional knowledge, etc., in providing sustainable outcomes for using natural resources. In many cases the reductionist science can in fact help in adding value to the holistic vision which often underlies these innovations or knowledge systems.
Some argue that the extractive relationship between the pharmaceutical industry and local communities and individuals is non-sustainable. The intellectual property rights of the local communities need more recognition and protection, so that their rights to the knowledge and the returns accruing therefrom are respected.
Group Goals:
Group Name : Indigenous Peoples and Sustainable Resource Management
Group Code : GT-IPSRM
Group Coordinator: Dr. Richard Howitt
Dept. of Human Geography
Macquarie University
Australia
(E-mail: rhowitt@ocs1.ocs.mq.edu.au
Fax : +61-2-805-8428)
Theme:
The relationship between the traditions, knowledge, values and human rights of indigenous peoples and the goals of ecological sustainability is of great interest to many researchers, and of immediate relevance to human and environmental survival in many parts of the world where industrial and more traditional resource management systems overlap.
In many places, the resource demands of national development aspirations and international trading obligations (e.g. for minerals, energy, land, forest products, fish and other marine resources, water and so on) have been pursued to the detriment of both ecological sustainability and indigenous rights. The potential contributions of indigenous peoples to developing and refining resource management practices which are both ecologically and culturally sustainable are often also ignored.
The emergence of co-management strategies for some national parks and heritage areas provides one example of how western scientific knowledge and the traditions, knowledge, values and rights of indigenous peoples can be linked to produce improved outcomes.
The group will focus on relationships between various sorts of (and approaches to) resource management and indigenous peoples, seeking to facilitate discussion of experience, impacts, lessons, methods, theory and key issues which contribute to better understanding of both sustainability and indigenous peoples.
Group Goals:
Group Name : Plant Bioremediation Group Code : GT-PB Group Coordinator : Prof.Dr. David E. Salt Center for Agricultural Molecular Biology Rutgers University USA (E-mail: salt@mbcl.rutgers.edu Fax : 1-908-932-6535)
Theme:
Research into the uptake, transport and storage of metals and other non-metabolisable pollutants (inc. radioactive isotopes) within plants. A better understanding of these processes will allow the development of plants able to hyperaccumulate specific pollutants in their roots and/or shoots for removal and recycling.
Group Goals:
Group Name : Rehabilitation of Disturbed Lands in Permafrost Areas Group Code : GT-RDLPA Group Coordinator : Dr. Evgeniy Tikhmenev Institute of Biological Problems of the North Russian Academy of Sciences Magadan, Russia (E-mail: ibpn@ibpn.magadan.su Fax : N.A.)
Theme:
Human activities, especially industries, often have profound effects on natural areas. These effects comprise disturbance and toxic pollution of the environment. Rehabilitation of this disturbed land can prevent and reduce negative impacts over the long term.
Group Goals:
Group Name : Sustainable Construction
Group Code : GT-SC
Group Coordinator : George Najjar
Lecturer in Construction Management
Dept. of Civil and Systems Engineering
James Cook University of North Queensland
Australia
(E-mail: csgrn@manta.jcu.edu.au
Fax : +61-77-751184)
Theme:
The construction industry is a major consumer of the products produced by a number of primary industries including mining, forestry and manufacturing and is a major user of global energy production. As such, the construction industry has a responsibility to utilise these environmental resources in an ecologically sustainable manner.
Sustainable construction is construction which prevents environmental degradation and utilises resources efficiently. The purpose is so that the initial impact is justified by the overall environmental, economic and social benefits created throughout the building life.
The process of sustainable construction is integrated between a number of groups and occurs throughout the evaluation, design, construction and life of the project.
Group Goals:
Group Name : Sustainable Community Development Group Code : GT-SCD Group Coordinator : Dr. Geoff Meese Technology for Developing Communities CSIR South Africa (E-mail: gmeese@environ.csir.co.za Fax : +27-12-841-3011)
Theme:
The upgrading of the quality of life of disadvantaged communities with the aim of ensuring that the development is technically and economically viable initially and sustainable thereafter. Focus should be on community led projects which maximise wealth creation within the community.
Group Goals:
To increase understanding of:
Group Name : Sustainable Development Measurement and Indicators
Group Code : GT-SDMI
Group Coordinator : Dr. Peter Hardi
Senior Fellow
International Institute for Sustainable Development
Canada
(E-Mail: IISDnet!IISD!IISDpost!PHardi@attmail.com
Fax : 1-204-958-7710)
Theme:
The Group reviews research and application of measurement of sustainable development performance, as well as the underlying theoretical and methodological issues. It covers the design and use of sustainable development indicators.
Group Goals: