Track Chairs
- Alex Franklin, Centre for Agroecology, Water and Resilience, Coventry University, UK.
ac0569@coventry.ac.uk - Wanxin Li, School of Energy and Environment, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
wanxin.li@cityu.edu.hk - Sandra Reinstädtler, Independent scientist, University of Technology (TU) Dresden – Alumna, Germany, former: Brandenburg University of Technology (BTU) Cottbus-Senftenberg, Brandenburg, Germany and Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD), Gadong, Brunei Darussalam. sandra.reinstaedtler@gmx.de
- Sharina Abdul Halim, Institute for Environment and Development (LESTARI) Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. sharina@ukm.edu.my
Goals and Objectives and areas of the Track
The ongoing degradation and depletion of environmental resources, together with associated problems of energy poverty, environmental injustice and food insecurity, are just some of the many consequences of our current (long-running) unsustainable patterns of living, production and consumption. Provoked by processes of globalization and uneven development (beyond the uneven distribution of natural endowment), the addition of climate change brings further complexity and vulnerability to this picture. In the face of such immense challenges, just and inclusive forms of stakeholder engagement and public participation – as highlighted through SDG-17 – are critical to the task of achieving a more sustainable future for all, rather than just for the privileged few.
The goal of this track is to open up discussion and advance understanding of how to nurture stakeholder engagement and public participation, in response to the growing number and severity of social, environmental, economic and cultural challenges facing our current and future generations. This includes challenges of either a global or local scale, those of a profoundly wicked nature and those which are eminently more resolvable, yet nevertheless continue to persist.
A risk when establishing and sustaining a positive cycle of action and participation is empowering the already empowered whilst further disempowering the already disempowered. Thus, in this track call, papers are especially welcomed which place a spotlight on just and inclusive forms of stakeholder engagement. This includes (but need not be limited to) initiatives aimed at: i) enabling greater public involvement in decision-making around the management of the natural resource base; ii) empowering individuals, or whole communities, to respond to, learn from and move forwards in situations of crisis and high vulnerability; and iii) enacting policy and legislation which serves to enhance the public accountability of those in power in a far more meaningful way.
In calling for such contributions, we seek come together and critically explore, from a range of different disciplinary lens, geographical starting points, and cultural perspectives, the range of ways in which individuals, groups, places, practices, environments, communities or even whole nations can be empowered to engage in more sustainable forms of action and decision making. This includes, for example, research relating to the production, consumption, management and/ or conservation of a full range of environmental resources; also studies which make the connection between environmental, social, economic and cultural issues across various different geographical, political and socio-cultural settings; and, case-based illustrations of individual and place-specific initiatives, events, movements, policies or projects which are characterized by multi-scaler forms of collaborative action. We also warmly encourage contributions which pay particular attention to the role of creative methodologies, transdisciplinary science and care-full scholarship in the stimulation of public participation – especially, those intent on stimulating alternative, more just, understandings of why and how things are, and how they could be.
Length and content of the proposed abstract to the track
Each proposed abstract (in connection to an area pointed out above) of between 300 and 500 words (including all aspects),
- shall be best organized (without headlines) along usual structures (e.g. intro/method/findings or results/ discussion/conclusions)
- does not need to, but can include references
- shall provide in a final section
a. to which SDG(s) and SDG-target(s) their proposed abstract especially relate to (e.g. “SDG+Target: 14.1.”).
b. a brief indication how the proposed contribution relates to the topic of the Conference (“Half-way through Agenda 2030: Assessing the 5Ps of SDGs (people, planet, prosperity, peace and partnership) “
Abstracts which do not outline points 3.a.) AND 3.b.) might be considered less relevant in the Review.
Potential publication channels
- The Journal (name, website, impact factor if any, if possible indexed where)Journal of Environmental Management (envisaged) will be considered for publication of a special issue resulted from this panel. The journal is SCI indexed with an impact factor of 5.647 in 2019.Frontiers in Sustainable Cities (open access, inquired/confirmed) has contacted Wanxin Li for working out a special issue with the journal. Although it is not yet indexed in SCI or SSCI, if 10 or more articles are included in this special issue, the publisher will also make the special issue an edited book. Of course, because it is an open-access journal, publication fee will have to be paid by the authors.
- Edited Book series (name of the series, publisher, website, if possible indexed where)Frontiers in Sustainable Cities (open access, inquired/confirmed) has contacted Wanxin Li for working out a special issue with the journal. Although it is not yet indexed in SCI or SSCI, if 10 or more articles are included in this special issue, the publisher will also make the special issue an edited book. Of course, because it is an open-access journal, publication fee will have to be paid by the authors.
- Conference proceedings with own ISBN number (each abstract and – later – full paper)