KERALA AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY

 

NATIONAL SYMPOSIUM

ON

CLIMATE CHANGE AND LOW CARBON FUTURE

 

 

28th MARCH, 2008

 

 

Venue:

College of Agriculture

Kerala Agricultural University

Vellayani - 695522

Trivandrum, Kerala

 

 

Exhibition: WWF, State office, Trivandrum

 

Organized by

 

British Council, Chennai,

 

Association of British Scholars (ABS) Trivandrum

 &

Kerala Agricultural University

 

 

The Earth is definitely getting warmer due to climate change. Today the scientific community and policy makers see this phenomenon of Global warming as a big threat to biological diversity and global economy.

 

By the end of this century global atmospheric carbon dioxide is expected to double and could damage the biodiversity-rich 'hotspots' world over. According to a report by the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), 30% of animal and plant species will be vulnerable to extinction if global temperatures rose by 1.5 to 2.5º C. It also says the world’s have-nots would be worst hit by climate change, predicting greenhouse gases (GHG) would change rainfall patterns, intensify tropical storms, accelerate the melting of arctic ice and mountain glaciers and amplify the risk of drought, flooding and water stress. According to IPCC, Asian continent faces a heightened risk of flooding, severe water shortages, infectious disease and hunger from global warming. The region is confronted by a 90% likelihood that more than a billion of its people will be “adversely affected” by the impacts of global warming by the 2050s.

 

Asia is of paramount importance as current climate models predict that this continent will contribute 40- 43% of the total worldwide emissions by 2050, whilst that from OECD countries will drop to approximately 21%. So the focus in the coming years will be on Asia, where, efforts to reduce GHG emissions will play crucial roles in mitigating global warming.

 

OBJECTIVES OF THE SYMPOSIUM

 

Among the developed countries, UK is leading the global campaign on the issues of climate change and the British council is responding to this huge challenge by facilitating a number of initiatives globally. In India, a touring exhibition “Zero Carbon city” has visited many of the cities in India with an aim to raise awareness and stimulate debate on GHG emission, climate change and energy challenges facing the world’s largest cities. The council is now concentrating on programmes on “Low carbon Future”. The Association of British Scholars (ABS) Trivandrum chapter in partnership with Kerala Agricultural University, WWF, Trivandrum & The Hindu, Trivandrum unit is organizing a one-day symposium on this topic.  

The broad themes of the Symposium are:

 

 

The Symposium will be an opportunity for academicians, industrialists, scientists and students to interact with the invited experts and gain knowledge on a vital area of local and global significance.

 

The primary aim of this symposium is “Education and Outreach”. Essentially this symposium will work to increase awareness, understanding and public acceptance of environment, climate change and low carbon futures and build support for CDM activities in Kerala and India. An exhibition on Global warming and climate change would be arranged by the State unit of WWF, Trivandrum.

 

Call for abstract and full paper

 

Scientific contributions are invited on the subjects related to climate change and low carbon future and its impact on food production, public health, biodiversity and clean development mechanisms.

 

Paper presentation

 

There will be invited lectures and oral/ poster presentations. A proceeding of this symposium would be brought out. Those who wish to publish papers should send the abstract (250-300 words) and full paper (not more than 6 pages) in CD with one hard copy using MS WORD/WIN 98/2000/XP.The font should be Times Roman with size 12 point for manuscript and 14 point for title. For poster, 3’X2’ size is to be followed. The abstract should reach the Organizing Secretary by 20th March, 2008 and full paper by 28th March, 2008.

 

Language of Symposium: English

 

About the Organizers

 

Association of British Scholars

 Association of British Scholars (ABS) is a collective of Indians, who had undergone academic programmes or research in UK. The activities of the Trivandrum chapter of the ABS include seminars, awareness campaigns and lectures. Every year ABS conducts a major event jointly with the British Council Chennai and academic institutions in the southern districts of Kerala.

 

Kerala Agricultural University

 

The Kerala Agricultural University (KAU) was established in 1971 with the aim of agricultural development in the state through education, research and extension so as to improve the livelihood of farming community. The venue of this symposium is at College of Agriculture, Vellayani which is one of its educational campuses located 12 Kms away from the state capital Trivandrum. Trivandrum is well connected by road, train and air. During March, weather is humid and warm with temperature between 26-32º C.

 

Who should attend?

 

Scientists of R&D institutions, Academics, General public & students from schools, colleges & Universities, representatives from industries, NGOs and farmers.

 

Travel & accommodation:

Organizing institute is unable to provide the cost of travel & accommodation of delegates to this symposium. However transportation will be arranged from Trivandrum to Vellayani and back on the symposium day for the delegates. Accommodations for participants shall be arranged in hotels in Trivandrum on request

 

Registration Fee

 

Delegate registration fee

Scientists/Academicians/Professionals   : Rs 100

General public/farmers                           : Rs. 50

 

Students*                                             : Free

 

*There is no registration fee for student delegates. However, they have to attach a proof from their school/ college/ institution before 20th March, 2008. Two students from one institution will be admitted. Seats are limited in this category and will be allotted on a first-come-first-serve basis.

 

All payments to be made by DD drawn in favour of Secretary, ABS, Payable at SBT, Trivandrum. Registration fee includes working lunch, tea and copy of proceedings of the symposium.

 

Last date for Registration : March 20th, 2008. Application form can be downloaded from here (MS Word Format, 22KB)

 

For further details please contact:

 

Dr.A.K.Sherief

Organizing Secretary,

Symposium on Climate change & Low Carbon Future

College of Agriculture, Vellayani  P.O

Trivandrum ,  Kerala.

PIN 695 522

Phone: 0471-2383254.:Mobile :94474 29615

email:  aksherief@gmail.com

 

Organizing Committee:

 

Chairman         Sri.K.R.Viswambharan IAS

Vice Chancellor, KAU

 

Co-Chairman   Dr.K.Harikrishnan Nair,

Dean, COA ,Vellayani

 

Convener         Dr.Oomen.V.Oomen,

President, ABS, Tvmp

 

Co-conveners

 

Dr.Arthur Jacob, ADR,NARP  (SR) , KAU

Dr.S.K.Nair, Research Coordinator, COA

Dr.S.Motilal Nehru, Prof &Head, Extn, COA

Dr.M.Abdul Salam, Prof  &Head, Agronomy, COA

Dr.L.Girija Devi, Asso Prof & Head (Agrl.Met), COA

Dr.N.Saifudeen, Prof &Head, Soil Science, COA

Dr.V.Prasannakumar, Secretary, ABS, Tvmp

Sri. Renjan Mathew Varghese, State Director, WWF

 

Organizing Secretary

Dr. A. K. Sherief,

Prof  & Head, TSS,COA

(Exe Member, ABS, Tvmp)

Members

 

Dr.A.S. Anil Kumar, Asso Prof (Agron)

Dr.P.Babu Mathew, Asso Prof (Agron)

Dr. P.Shalini Pillai, Asst.Professor (NARP)

Dr.Roy Stephan,  Asst Prof (NSS –Prog officer) ,COA

Sri.S.Gopakumar, Asst Prof (Forestry), KAU

Sri.A.V.Santhosh Kumar, Asst Prof (Forestry)

Sri.A.Sakeer Hussain, Asst.Prof (TSS)

Sri.A.K.Sivakumar, Edu.Officer, WWF

Sri.A.Sreejith, Project Officer, WWF