INVITATION TO ELECTRONIC CONFERENCE (March-May 1996)
 
Climate change challenges many disciplines with WHAT IF ? -
questions, but this electronic conference will try to stay clear of
topics such as atmospheric chemistry and meteorology. Instead it
will try to concentrate on how future industrial practices might
influence the carbon sinks. The three major issues to be dis-
cussed during this conference are: (a) To what extent will the
sequestering of carbon be influenced by the life of artefacts
(buildings, furniture, textiles, etc) which are manufactured from
organic materials ?. (b) How will improved management of
organic residues and waste influence the carbon cycle in the
future ? (c) Will scarcities eventually force industry to regard
combustion gases as a resource or as a target for ways to
circumvent carbon dioxide taxes.?
 
Quite obviously, there are no simple answers to such questions,
but it is hoped that this electronic conference will provide a
transdisciplinary dialogue which will help us to "zoom in" on a
few topics that can be addressed by a two-hour Internet video
dialogue that will be organized by UNU/ZERI on May 30th 1996
between Chattanooga, Stockholm and Tokyo
 
The electronic conference will be conducted via a mailing list and your
access to electronic mail is therefore a prerequisite for participation.
If you are interested to contribute to the discussion, please contact the
conference organizer <[log in to unmask]> and kindly provide
information for the selection process, e.g. : (a) your full professional
postal and electronic adresses (b) a brief summary of your interests and
experience in the context of any of the three discussion topics mentioned.
Selected participants will be notified by the conference organizer.
 
Conference Organizer:
Prof.em. Carl Goran Heden, Biofocus Foundation, Stockholm
in cooperation with
Zero Emissions Research Initiatives, United Nations University,
Tokyo
 
Mailing list administrator:
Mr. Eng-Leong Foo (UNU/ZERI, Tokyo)