SuScit Mailing - May 2008.

 

 

 

CONTENTS:

 

1-SuScit Project update:

a- Second Shared Workshop: ‘Visioning Sustainable Communities’.

2-Research:

a-Environment Agency: Survey on Soil Pollution.

b- Policy Studies Institute: Bridging Research and Policy through Outcome Evaluation.

3-Publication:

a-London Sustainability Exchange: Diverse Communities Report.

b- BRE: GreenPrint for Sustainable Communities.

c-UK Parliament- Public Administration Select Committee report – User Involvement in Public Services.

4-Events:

a- Staffordshire University- Institute for Environment, Sustainability and Regeneration. Conference: Environment, Well Being and Healthy Living 2008.

b- ISPIM Conference 2008- Open Innovation: Creating Products and Services through Collaboration

c- London Metropolitan University: The Fourth London Multi-Cultural Environment Fair and Conference.

5-Policy:

a-Government Draft Legislative Programme 2008/09.

6-News:

a- (DIUS) Government Launches New Expert Resource Centre to Improve Communication between Policy Makers and the Public.

b-Office of the Third Sector- Plan for Standard Measure of Social Return on Investment Fund.

c-European Commission-Information and communication Technologies to improve energy efficiency throughout the economy.

7-Funding:

a- ESRC, RCUK, IoP, DCSF and the Gatsby Foundation - £3m Investment in Science and Mathematics Education:

8-Call for papers:

a- Institute for the Environment, Sustainability and Regeneration: Environment, Well Being and Healthy Living 2008.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1-SuScit Project update:

a- Second Shared Workshop: ‘Visioning Sustainable Communities’:

 

Islington residents’ panels, researchers and practitioners took part in the ‘Second Shared Workshop: Visioning Sustainable Communities’ on the 13 May 2008. The day offered good opportunities for the SuScit project participants to explore community perspectives and aspirations for urban sustainability.

Through a series of activities and creative exercises the workshop produces a number of very valuable and interesting outputs.

The next step in the SuScit process is the Researchers’ and Practitioners’ workshop at Brunel University on the 3 and 4 June.

 

 

2-Research:

a- Environment Agency: Survey on Soil Pollution.

 

The Environment Agency conducted the first ever survey of soils and plants throughout the UK. The UK Soil and Herbage Survey (UKSHS) analysed soil and vegetation from 122 rural, 28 urban and 50 industrial sites. The results provide a reliable baseline against which intensive local surveys and future national surveys can be assessed, and will be used as a way of monitoring and resolving pollution events more efficiently.

 

For further information, click:

 http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/science/922254/923462/?version=1&lang=_e

 

 

 

b- Policy studies Institute: Bridging Research and Policy through Outcome Evaluation:

 

A Defra funded research project, carried out in collaboration with King’s College London University, Technopolis Ltd and GHK Consulting aims to pilot the use of outcome evaluation as a means of better linking research and policy in the cross-cutting areas of sustainable consumption and production (SCP) and sustainable waste and resources management (SWRM). The project concentrates on two of the Defra research programmes:  Waste and Resources Research Programme and the Sustainable Consumption and Production Evidence Base Programme.

 

Find out more on: http://www.psi.org.uk/pdf/2008/bridgingproject_report_with_appendices.pdf

 

 

 

3-Publication:

a-London Sustainability Exchange: Diverse Communities Report:

 

The findings from LSx's three year Diverse London project to enable London's culturally diverse communities enjoy cleaner, greener and healthier lifestyles are now available. And you can also find out all the outcomes of our South Asian Climate Change work here. For more details contact Afsheen Rashid on 020 7234 9407 / a.rashid@lsx.org.uk or Jane Mulholland on 020 7234 9403 / j.mulholland@lsx.org.uk

 

b-BRE:GreenPrint for Sustainable Communities:

 

A new methodology, GreenPrint, has been developed to help design teams achieve the strong sustainability requirements now expected of urban developments. It helps the team to navigate the complex and often conflicting sustainability issues involved, and to draw up masterplans that maximise the benefits of a sustainable approach and the potential for sustainable communities.

 

To read the document: http://www.bre.co.uk/filelibrary/Sustainability/GreenPrint_brochure_FINAL.pdf

c-UK Parliament. Public Administration Select Committee report – User Involvement in Public Services:

The second of a series of Reports by the Public Administration Select Committee this publication is the result of the inquiry into Public Services: Putting People First. The investigation has explored how public services could be improved by involving the people that use them in their design and delivery.

Read the full report:

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmselect/cmpubadm/410/410.pdf

 

 

4-Events:

a- Staffordshire University- Institute for Environment, Sustainability and Regeneration.Conference: Environment, Well being and Healthy Living 2008.

 

Date: 19/11/2008.

Location: Best Western Stoke-on-Trent Moat House, Festival Park, Stoke-on-Trent

 

Further information on: http://www.staffs.ac.uk/schools/sciences/geography/links/IESR/conf08/

 

 

b- ISPIM Conference 2008- Open Innovation: Creating Products and Services through Collaboration.

 

Date: 15th to 18th June 2008.

Location: Loyre Valley-France.

 

Find out more: http://www.ispim.org/conference/

 

c- London 21: The Fourth London Multi-Cultural Environment Fair and Conference.

 

Date: 13/06/2008

Location: London Metropolitan University.

 

For further information: http://www.london21.org/borough/events/show/18/1907

 

To reserve a place, contact: Andy Samel, Email: andys@ivac.org.uk Tel: 020 7354 6368.

 

 

 

5-Policy:

a- Government Draft Legislative Programme - 2008/09.

 

The Government announces 18 proposed bills and other non-legislative actions, reflecting the directions of the Government organised into 4 themes: Economic Stability, ‘Making the most of your potential’, Personalisation and Improvement of Public Services and ‘Handing Power Back to the People’.

 

To download the paper, click:

 http://www.official-documents.gov.uk/document/cm73/7372/7372.asp

 

 

 

6-News:

a-(DIUS) Government launches new expert resource centre to improve communication between policy makers and the public:

 

The new centre Sciencewise Expert Resource Centre for Public Dialogue in Science and Innovation (ERC) was unveiled on 29th of May by Baroness Delyth Morgan, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills.

The new centre - a virtual information hub together with a range of offline support services – aims to facilitate the engagement with the public about the potential impacts of new and emerging science and technologies.

 

Find out more: http://www.whitehallpages.net/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=103545&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0

 

 

b- Office of the Third Sector- Plan for Standard Measure of Social Return on Investment Fund.

 

The Minister for the Third Sector, Phill Hope, has announced a new programme of work to help standardise and improve how social return on investment (SROI) is measured.

 

To find out more: http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/third_sector/news/news_stories/080506_standard_measure.aspx

 

 

c- European Commission-Information and communication Technologies to improve energy efficiency throughout the economy.

 

 As part of its effort to fight climate change, the European Commission announced that it would promote the use of ICT (Information and Communications Technologies) to improve energy efficiency throughout the economy, starting with buildings, lighting and the power grid.

 

Find out more:

http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/08/733&format=HTM

 

 

7-Funding:

a- ESRC, RCUK, IoP, DCSF and the Gatsby Foundation - £3m investment in science and mathematics education:

 

Aiming to find new ways to encourage children and young people to greater achievement and understanding of Science and Mathematics related subjects, the Economic & Social Research Council, in partnership with other Research Councils, the Institute of Physics, Department of Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) and the Gatsby Foundation will be investing £3 million to fund five projects across the UK.

 

More on: http://www.esrcsocietytoday.ac.uk/ESRCInfoCentre/PO/releases/2008/may/investment.aspx?ComponentId=26630&SourcePageId=96

 

 

 

8-Call for papers:

a-Staffordshire University- Institute for Environment, Sustainability and Regeneration: Environment, Well being and Healthy living 2008.

 

      How do environments impact upon the well-being of a population?

      How should we design active environments that encourage healthy activity such as walking and cycling?

      What types of green space support healthy lifestyles?

      What are the best interventions to encourage healthy living in different communities?

      What are the most effective tools to investigate neighbourhood environments?

Aiming to address these and other related questions, the Institute for Environment, sustainability and Regeneration at Staffordshire University is asking contributors to e-mail complete abstracts to the IESR Conference Secretary C.J.Dover@staffs.ac.uk

by 16th June 2008.