Sustainable
Innovation2nd UK-Japan Workshop on Materials Security
2nd UK-Japan Workshop on Materials Security
12th July 2007
University of Southampton
Southampton
Hampshire
UK
Organised by: The Centre for Sustainable Design (http://www.cfsd.org.uk)
In association with:
Ecomaterials Forum (http://www.sntt.or.jp/eco/)
University of Southampton (http://www.soton.ac.uk/)
Sponsored by:
South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) (http://www.seeda.co.uk/)
Resource Efficiency Knowledge Transfer Network (http://ren.globalwatchonline.com/epicentric_portal/site/)
Background
Growing population and new technology are placing increased demands on limited global reserves of resources.
“Virgin stocks of several metals appear inadequate to sustain the modern ‘developed world' quality of life for all of Earth's people under contemporary technology.”
Professor Thomas Graedel, Yale University (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, vol 103, p 1209)
Japan, US and Europe compete on the world market for resources, which are becoming increasingly costly. This is being accelerated by growing demand for metals and minerals from emerging economies such as China and India which is placing major pressures on global supply of metals such as copper, iron ore and zinc.
What proportion of global resources have we used up? and how much is left?
There appears to be some uncertainty over the answers to these questions with relatively few comprehensive studies. But those surveys that have been published highlight significant concerns e.g. by 2020 the world's sources of platinum may be exhausted ( New Scientist, 26 May 2007, p34-41) unless there is significant growth in recycling coupled with other changes. Scarce resources may mean conflict. For example, one of the key motivations for the civil war in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (1998-2002) related its wealth in mineral resources, including tantalum mines – the biggest in Africa . The conflict coincided with a major increase in the price of the metal resulting from a significant growth in the worldwide demand for mobile phones ( New Scientist , 7 April 2001, p 46). Tensions may also result over the availability of other rare metals. The Chinese government is investing in mineral mines in Africa to supplement its natural deposits of rare metals to ensure the supply of resources for its strategic industries. In addition, according to the US Geological Survey, 90% of US's so-called “rare earth” metals are now imported from China . If this source of supply was removed, this could result in a major risk of conflict.
Access to raw materials is now moving onto the political agenda. At the recent G8 Summit in Heiligendamm in Germany , G8 leaders signed a declaration on the 'responsibility for raw materials: transparency and sustainable growth'. Delegates to European Commission's recent Green Week highlighted the need to create an international body similar to the United Nation's (UN) intergovernmental panel on climate change to address the sustainable use of natural resources. In response to these growing concerns, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is establishing an international panel of scientists to advise governments on how to reduce the environmental and social impacts of resource use
(see http://
www.unep.fr/pc/sustain/initiatives/resourcepanel/
index.htm)
The workshop will discuss technological, socio-economic and political issues associated with materials security, and will build on the results arising from an initial conference on ‘resource productivity' held in Tokyo , Japan in December 2006 (see http://www.cfsd.org.uk).
This is an invite-only workshop but through cooperation with the Resource Efficiency Knowledge Transfer Network we are able to offer FREE internet access through Interwise on-line conferencing technology.
Conference Agenda
Chair: Martin Charter, Director, The Centre for Sustainable Design, UCCA
9.30 Registration
Interwise Session 1 starts
10.00 Opening (UK/Japan)
Martin Charter, CfSD and Professor William Powrie, University of Southampton
10.15 Keynote - Material Security (MS)
Guido Sonnemann, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
10.45 UK - MS and climate change
Henry Leveson-Gower, Economist, Environmental Policy, Environment Agency Interwise
Session 1 ends
11.15 Coffee/networking
Interwise Session 2 starts
11.45 Japan - Resources, energy security and climate change
Dr Kohmei Halada, Managing Director, Innovative Materials Engineering Laboratory, National Institute of Material Science
12.15 UK - MS, resource productivity and sustainable consumption and
production (SCP): a regional perspective
Graham Tubb, Head of Energy Policy, South East England Development Agency (SEEDA)
12.45 Japan - Social impact of environmental information indices of
materials
Dr. Yoshikazu Shinohara, Innovative Materials Engineering Laboratory, National Institute of Material Science
Interwise Session 2 ends
1.15 Lunch
Interwise Session 3 starts
2.15 MS and zero emissions
Nick Morley, Oakdene Hollins and Arnold Black, Resource Efficiency KTN Interwise Session
Interwise Session 3 ends
3.15 Coffee/networking
3.45 Discussion
4.30 Summing up
How to join the Online Conference.
1: Register as a member of the DTI-funded Resource Efficiency KTN.
(This is free, carries no obligation and only takes a minute).
- Go to http://www.resource-efficiency.org and click 'Login/Join', under 'New Users'
click on 'Register Now' and enter your details.
2: Install the Interwise software on your machine:
To do this, go to the Interwise section (within the 'Tools' menu) on the Resource Efficiency KTN portal http://www.resource-efficiency.org and click 'Start Interwise'. Then follow the instructions.
-
Once you have installed the software you will see the UK-Japan Workshop on Materials Security event listed when you click 'Start-Interwise'.
- A UK-Japan Workshop on Materials Security banner link on the Resource Efficiency KTN homepage will provide direct access to the Interwise events listing on the day. You can enter each session 15 minutes before it starts, not before, so you won't be able to access it now.
3: Headset with Microphone required:
- If you want to be able to listen and talk on Interwise, you need a headset that includes a microphone. These are widely available but you can purchase them from RE-KTN at cost price. See the 'Introduction to Interwise' page for more details.
Note:
We strongly recommend that you try using the Interwise software in advance to familiarise yourself with the controls.
An Interwise familiarisation session will be running between 10:00 - 11:00 Tuesday 10th July, where the Resource Efficiency KTN event moderator will be on hand to provide assistance if you require it. Alternatively, try setting up a meeting with a colleague to see how it works.
Support will be available if you experience problems on the day, but this will naturally be limited as the focus of the team will be on running the event.
For more information or if you experience problems with accessing the event please contact:
Jenny Marsden, Network Administrator
email: resource@ctechinnovation.com
telephone: 0151 347 2937
