On 26-29 June 2019, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) is hosting the Global Research Forum on Sustainable Production and Consumption on the theme of "Transforming Production and Consumption: Bridging Sustainability Research with Policy and Practice".
Drawing on past GRF conferences, participants are invited to submit proposals for sessions, workstudios, papers and posters exploring the following four themes:
Theme #1: Asian Perspectives and Priorities in SCP
Relevant topics could include priorities for transforming manufacturing and green chemistry; innovation in MSMEs for enterprises and business ventures, challenges of poverty and inequality and creating opportunities for sustainable livelihoods that reinforce local and regional economies and contribute to living wages and employment creation; addressing consumption and enhancing sustainability of middle-class consumer practices; role of traditional practices and knowledge; impacts of artificial intelligence and automated manufacturing on sustainability.
Theme #2: Imagining Sustainable Futures and Transforming Cultures
Relevant topics could include co-production of futures through knowledge and practice, the role of the arts and popular media in envisioning futures, the role of changing norms and cultural practices, reimagining the ‘good life’.
Theme #3: Sustainable Lifestyles and Livelihoods
Relevant topics could include considering the role of changing cultural norms and social practices, achieving absolute reductions in waste and natural resource consumption levels, behavioral economics and building infrastructures for sustainability, the sharing economy and collaborative consumption, and the structural conditions shaping sustainable lifestyles and livelihoods.
Theme #4: Smart, Circular, Sustainable Urbanization
Relevant topics include circular cities; collaborative and sharing economies; supply chains and the built environment; smart cities, ICT and smart urbanism. exploring the change in key sectors including textiles, considering the role of changing cultural norms and social practices, achieving absolute reductions in waste and natural resource consumption levels, behavioral economics and building infrastructures for sustainability, the sharing economy and collaborative consumption, and the structural conditions shaping sustainable lifestyles and livelihoods.
These themes will also be explired through a number of cross-cutting topics: politics and democracy, civic engagement and knowledge transfer, gender, and social justice.
Other proposals for papers, posters, sessions and workstudios connected to sustainable production and consumption will also be considered.
Contribution formats and deadlines
1. Session proposals. Deadline: 21 January 2019
Submissions are welcome for sessions or roundtables on specific topics or debates that address the topics and questions outlined above. Sessions can take multiple forms including:
- Research presentations, composed of at least 3 research talks followed by a discussion.
- Panel discussions, featuring at least 3 panelists who discuss a specific topic or question moderated by a session chair, followed by audience discussion.
- Interactive debates, where at least 3 presenters offer opposing perspectives on a specific and well-defined question, followed by an open discussion.
To propose a special session by 21 January 2019, please include the following information: (1) session title, (2) brief description of no more than 300 words, explaining in particular how this session contributes to the conference themes, (3) session format, (4) at least 3 presenters for talks (titles, authors, affiliations) or 3 participants for a discussion/debate, who have confirmed they wish to contribute to your special session. Submissions will be reviewed by an international scientific review panel before being accepted.
Please email your session proposal by 21 January 2019 to: [email protected]
2. Individual papers & posters. Deadline: 21 January 2019
To submit papers and posters, please submit an abstract of 300 words and 3-5 key words by 15 January 2016. Abstracts need to be submitted via ProposalSpace. Please create a free ProposalSpace account and then fill in the abstract submission form. Submissions will be reviewed by an international scientific review panel before being accepted.
For each paper and poster submission, please provide the following information:
- SECTORAL SYSTEMS: What production/consumption sector or system does this topic/presentation address or attempt to influence?
- SOCIAL/ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS: What negative impacts (e.g., climate change, pollution, poverty, inequality) are targeted for change?
- STRATEGIES/APPROACHES: What strategy, innovation or strategic approach is proposed, explored or critiqued?
- POLICY: What policy change(s), if any, does the presentation propose/advocate?
- CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK: What disciplinary, theoretical or conceptual framework(s) does the proposed presentation draw upon?
- COMMUNICATION: Who is the appropriate audience(s) to communicate this research/these ideas/arguments/information?
- GEOGRAPHICAL area: What is the geographic scope addressed in the presentation?
Selected conference papers will be included in a Special Issue of the Journal Sustainability.
3. Special Work Studios. Deadline: 21 January 2019
To propose a special work studio aimed at fostering multi-stakeholder collaborations and projects, games, consortium-building for funding proposals, as well as peer-learning, please include the following information:
- Work studio title;
- Brief description, explaining the goals of the work studio;
- Organizer information (affiliations);
- Desired number of attendees; and
- If the work studio is ‘invitation only’ or ‘open to all conference participants’.
Conference attendees will be given the opportunity to sign-up for open work studios during registration. Please email your session proposal by 21 January 2019 to: [email protected].
Please email [email protected] with any general questions about GRF.
About the Global Research Forum on Sustainable Production and Consumption
The Global Research Forum on Sustainable Production and Consumption was founded in 2011 as a collaboration among many research networks and sustainability practitioners including One Earth Initiative, Canada; Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES), Japan; Sustainable Consumption Research and Action Initiative (SCORAI), USA and Europe; Integrative Strategies Forum (ISF), USA; Fudan University Shanghai, China; Tellus Institute, USA; Green Liberty, Latvia; Switch Asia; Sustainable Europe Research Institute (SERI), Germany; Partnership for Education and Research about Responsible Living (PERL, Norway; The Energy and Resources Institute, India; Colectivo Ecologista Jalisco, Mexico; and others.
GRF members engage in a range of topics and activities promoting better understanding and more effective policies, strategies and practices in advancing our communities and societies in the transition to sustainable production and consumption systems. GRF organizes workshops, conferences, publications, working groups and dialogues, examining the roots of today’s global crises and efforts to build better futures. See the GRF website for past conferences, workshops and publications. https://grf-spc.weebly.com/
Co-organizers: Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES), National Institute for Environmental Studies, SWITCH to Green Initiative
Contributing Partners: Future Earth Knowledge Action Network on Systems of Sustainable Consumption and Production, Institute of Development Studies, Sustainable Consumption Research and Action Initiative (SCORAI), SCORAI China, World Resources Forum