SAS2010 updates

jenny — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 05:43:40 +0000

The Sustainability Assessment Symposium 2010: Towards Strategic Assessment for Sustainability has its first official sponsor! The Water Corporation of Western Australia will be helping us to bring international speakers to SAS2010 and we are very grateful for their support. There are still plenty of sponsorship opportunities available – download the sponsorship flyer from the side bar for more details.

Further information on the two pre-conference training courses that will be offered at SAS2010 is now also available on the training flyer in the side bar. Course 1: Sustainability Assessment Principles and Practice will be presented by Dr Angus Morrison-Saunders (Murdoch University, Western Australia) and Dr Alan Bond (East Anglia University, UK). Both are internationally-recognised experts in sustainability assessment who have published extensively in this field, as well as being innovative and dynamic trainers.

Course 2: Multi-criteria Decision Analysis for Sustainability Assessment will be presented by Associate Professor Des Klass (Curtin University Graduate School of Business) and Dr Jenny Pope (Integral Sustainability). Des is an internationally -recognsied expert on decision theory, and he and Jenny have recently been working together to integra decision theory and techniques into the practice of sustainability assessment. This course is an opportunity learn more about practical tools to enhance your sustainability assessment practice.

Training course fees are $440 for each course and you can register for them, as well as for the Symposium itself, by clicking on the Registration button in the side bar. And don’t forget that Earlybird registration for the Symposium is available until 23 April at $660.

A provisional programme for Day 1 of the Symposium has been posted on the SAS2010 Updates page. If you would like to present at SAS2010, please send a 200 word abstract to jenny@integral-sustainability.net by 15th April.

SAS2010 Registration and call for papers now open!

jenny — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 12:24:51 +0000

Registration for the Sustainability Assessment Symposium 2010: Towards Strategic Assessment for Sustainability is now open. SAS2010 will be held at the Esplanade Hotel in Fremantle, Western Australia on 25-26 May 2010.

Integral Sustainability is also offering two pre-conference training courses on 24 May. Training course 1 will address sustainability assessment principles and practice and Training course 2 will explore multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) for sustainability assessment. Further information about the courses will be posted in the coming weeks.

Prices for the Symposium are as follows (inc. GST): $660 Earlybird full registration (before 23 April), $770 full registration (after 23 April), $440 day rate (either 25 or 26 May), $440 training course 1 or 2. Click on the registration button on the side bar to register online through the Symposium secretariat EECW Pty Ltd.

The formal call for papers is also now open. If you would like to present your work or ideas on any aspect of sustainability assesment theory or practice, please send a 200 word abstract to jenny@integral-sustainability.net by 15 April. In particular we invite papers addressing: Strategic sustainability assessment;
Land use planning and sustainability assessment; Local government applications of sustainability assessment;
Tools and techniques for sustainability assessment; Sustainability assessment for infrastructure planning; and Regional sustainability planning. Places for presenters are limited so get in quick! Please note that presenters do need to register and pay for the Sympsosium.

The Symposium programme is taking shape and looking fantastic. Further information about confirmed presenters will be posted shortly.

Preliminary Announcement: Sustainability Assessment Symposium 2010, 25-26 May, Esplanade Hotel, Fremantle, Australia

jenny — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 03:23:19 +0000

Building on the success of our inaugural event in 2008, Integral Sustainability invites you to participate in SAS2010. This interactive forum will bring together international and Australian sustainability assessment practitioners. It will also provide an input to the International Association for Impact Assessment review and update of the effectiveness of EIA and SEA practice. Pre-conference training courses in sustainability assessment principles and multi-criteria decision analysis for sustainability will also be offered on 24 May.

Strategic Assessment for Sustainable Development
Sustainability assessment, as a process for evaluating the sustainability implications of a proposed strategy or action, is increasingly recognised as an important tool for implementing sustainable development. While much focus has been placed to date on project-level environmental, social, and health impact assessment (ESHIA), there are increasing calls for the application of sustainability assessment at more strategic levels of decision-making, with the aim of delivering long-term environmental, social and economic benefits through development. SAS2010 will feature Australian and international speakers who will review and compare recent trends and developments in this rapidly evolving field. The potential of strategic environmental assessment (SEA), defined as environmental impact assessment (EIA) applied to policies, plans and programmes, as a vehicle for strategic sustainability assessment will be explored.

SAS2010 will also provide a forum for all practitioners to exchange views and information on local approaches and applications for assessing the sustainability of policies, plans and projects, with an emphasis on tools and techniques for the analysis and integration of sustainability considerations within decisionmaking processes. Interactive sessions will allow participants to identify and discuss practical ways forward within their specific sectors.

Further details will be posted on this website as they become available.

Expressions of Interest
The organizers invite expressions of interest from presenters and sponsors. We welcome contributions addressing any aspect of the theory and practice of sustainability assessment, and particularly those addressing strategic applications of sustainability assessment.

To register your interest email Jenny Pope:
jenny@integral-sustainability.net

Sustainability Assessment Seminar and Sundowner 2009

jenny — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 10:31:57 +0000

Hello to everyone who has been asking whether Integral Sustainability is planning to organise another Sustainability Assessment Symposium this year. We are delighted that there is so much interest, and we are pleased to announce that the short answer to the question is ’sort of’. The time is not right for another two day event like the hugely successful SAS2008 but instead we are planning a smaller event to provide an opprtounity for SAS2008 participants to reconnect, to welcome new sustainability assessment colleagues to the network and hear about what is happening at the cutting edge of sustainabilty assessment.

The plan is an after-work seminar and sundowner to be held in October or November in the CBD or Northbridge. There will be formal presentations for about an hour followed by drinks (cash bar) and nibblies. We are very close to confirming the date, venue and a fantastic guest speaker, so keep checking the website for details.

And then next year we will be back bigger and better then ever for a full scale SAS2010!

Thanks to everyone who contributed to the wonderful Sustainability Assessment Symposium

jenny — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 23:51:33 +0000

The Sustainbility Assessment Symposium last week was a huge success – great presentations, a beautiful venue at Maria’s on the Terrace in Fremantle, and most importantly wonderful energy amongst the 90+ delegates who attended. I think we all met some inspiring new people, had some great conversations and hopefully have come away revitalised and even more committed to working together for better, more sustainable decision-making in WA.

Thanks so much to everyone who contributed, especially the presenters and session chairs; the Water Corporation of Western Australia for their sponsorship and support; Kathryn Buselich for being registrar, chief photographer and general helper; Robyn Williams for sharing her wisdom and facilitation experience in the Open Space and final plenary; Monica and her staff at Maria’s for the great food and for being so accommodating and flexible; and all the delegates who attended and shared their views and experiences.

We are in the process of preparing proceedings, which will include the PowerPoint presentations, notes from the Closing Plenary and a photo gallery. And yes, we are planning to do it again next year as part of Sustainable September 2009, so watch this space!

Last chance to register for the Sustainability Assessment Symposium

jenny — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 23:54:58 +0000

A final reminder that our Sustainability Assessment Symposium: Progressing Practice in Western Australia is NEXT WEEK, 24th and 25th September. There are still a few places available, including some free places for community members and NGO representative sponsored by Water Corporation (email jenny@integral-sustainability.net for more information), but you will need to be quick!

Online registration and credit card payment options will be available until noon on Monday 22nd and after that if places remain you will be able to register by downloading and completing a form and paying by cash or cheque. We will also have a few registration forms at the venue on Wednesday morning, but can’t guarantee places will be available.

We are delighted with the response to the Symposium and to know there are so many people in Perth committed to sustainability assessment and decision-making. We look forward to meeting delegates next week!