14th International Conference
26th - 27th October 2009
Farnham Castle
Farnham
UK

Background

The financial, food and climate crises are individually serious issues, but in combination their impact could be catastrophic for the global economy. Perhaps we stand at a crossroads. Even as we move into a global economic downturn there are growing calls for an accelerated transformation towards low carbon and resource productive economies. To move forward will require new and more efficient solutions, technologies and products alongside behavioural change. Climate change is now universally recognised as a significant global environmental challenge and as a consequence, debate over the measures needed to tackle climate change has moved up to the top of the agenda amongst civil society, business and government. The United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen in December 2009 will highlight the major challenges and opportunities associated with climate change as we move towards post 2012 carbon dioxide (CO2) reduction targets. In October 2008, the UK raised the bar by announcing a target of cutting CO2 emissions by 80% by 2050. Innovation will be a core part of the way forward. The Stern Review underlined that increased investment in R&D and innovation could significantly reduce CO2 emissions and we have seen more than $5 billion of venture capital invested in cleantech worldwide since January 2007 (Source: Ernst & Young). However, we need to create much better international, national and regional structures and systems to adapt to climate change as well those to stimulate, nurture and progress new low carbon ideas through R&D to commercialisation and the marketplace. A new system is needed that fosters sustainable, low carbon and resource productive innovation - short, medium and long-term. Designers, innovators, investors, entrepreneurs, consumers and governments all have a role to play in the change that is needed.

Concept

Sustainable Innovation 09 will provide a platform to discuss the future opportunities and challenges related to the design, development and commercialisation of low carbon innovation, technologies, products and services. Sustainable Innovation 09 will include invited and refereed papers from academics, consultants, entrepreneurs, investors, technology providers, designers, sustainability, environment and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) managers as well as other business functions. The event will be a unique learning experience, networking space and an opportunity to think. Delegates will come globally from large companies, entrepreneurs, as well as academia, government and non-governmental organisations (NGOs). The conference is supported by an international Advisory Board.

Conference Topics

Sustainable Innovation 09 welcomes conceptual and research-based papers covering sustainable innovation, technology, product and service design and development. Papers focused on low carbon solutions and sustainable innovation related to the following topics are particularly welcomed:

• Radical change
• Market transformation
• Sustainable Consumption & Production
• Regional approaches
• Product policy
• Sustainable public procurement
• New business models
• Collaborations and partnerships
• Sustainable technologies
• Innovation processes
• Supply chain management
• Product-service-systems (PSS)
• Management systems
• Organisational dimensions
• Sustainable product design and development
• Product-related carbon footprinting
• Methodologies
• Case studies

Benefits

Sustainable Innovation 09 will provide a range of benefits to speakers and delegates:

• Unique:               Forum for new ideas and concepts
• Leading-edge:      Presentations from key international researchers, practitioners and policy-makers
• Content:              New research, results and thinking
• Networking:         Opportunities to meet business, government and academia
• Track-record:       Over 1500 delegates from over 40 countries have attended previous conferences
• Established:        14th international conference

Submission Details

Conference papers: please email SI09@ucreative.ac.uk, fax or post up to 500 words describing your proposed paper by 20th April 2009. The paper will then be sent to the Advisory Board for evaluation and authors will be given feedback by the end of May 2009. The highest rated papers will be invited to present at the conference. Please only submit abstracts if you have a budget to attend the conference.

Contact

Organised by:

Sustainable Innovation 09 is a partner in the
European Year of Creativity and Innovation 2009

Supported by: