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Internet conferences
on sustainable consumption and lifestyles
Sustainable consumption and lifestyles are going to play an increasing role in the future. The reason is simple: improvements of production efficiency are not sufficient to move toward sustainability. Efficiency, sufficiency within consumption and the complex links between consumption and production sectors will be very important areas of research, debates and hopefully innovations, actions and changes in the future decades. Already many conferences, seminars, networks, and workshops are being organised and in the future far more will take place.
Although much "face to face" meetings will be necessary, there is also a good opportunity to develop Internet conferences:
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They could reduce the amount of travelling and the impacts associated at least per conference
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It would show that the people, active in this area, do not only discuss but also apply some solutions within their work
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They could increase the work and contacts between actors. The rebound effect would be positive and important, as this area of research needs to boom.
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Some characteristics are clearly positive improvements, like the saving in costs, the increased time available to react to one's contribution, the easier diffusion of results
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The wider possibility of participation of different actors is fundamental in this interdisciplinary area. All areas of research, including sociology, psychology environmental science, economy could be represented, as well as all other actors like governments, NGOs, citizens, unions, industry, media, land planners…
The characteristics of conferences could be adapted to the Internet context, while taking advantage of new opportunities. In addition to typical "official" introductions, short papers on defined subjects would be presented and used as basis for discussions (quantified studies and opinion papers on the global and local level). Panel discussions would take place where a group of expert would be committed to discuss and answer issues and questions raised by the participants. Reports of other meetings, calls for conferences, actual information on experiences and news would be announced. When relevant, all these contributions would be published. In parallel, "Chats", informal discussions not leading to publications could take place
A formal agreement on a few principles would be required like the independence from religious groups as well as from political parties. The forum would not be used for commercial promotion or special interest. An on-going web site would deliver up-to-date information, among others things, the regular Internet conference calls. In parallel, on-going themes and results would be by email. Long versions of papers would be available for downloading.
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