Bioenergy, World Food Issues & Biodiversity: Environmental conference organised by the University of Hohenheim offers forum for debate and dialogue    [09.02.12]

16th February 2012: Conference (starting 9:30 a.m.) and press conference (starting 1:00 p.m.) How should the sustainable cultivation of crops be possible in these times of climate change? University of Hohenheim, Blauer Saal, Hohenheim palace, 70599 Stuttgart

Bioenergy, world food issues and biological diversity are often perceived to be in opposition to each other. The University of Hohenheim deals with all of them as the focus of its many on-going research projects. Scientists and visitors to the upcoming conference intent to intensify the dialogue and debate regarding these issues. The 38th "Umwelttagung" sponsored by the Umweltakademie Baden-Württemberg and the University of Hohenheim will contain controversial points of view, as well as cross-disciplinary consensus. In harmony with the spirit and tradition of this scientific field, which seeks to examine both sides of the coin, the two universities are helping to look to effective solutions to the current and future issues through open dialogue.

Agricultural sciences focusing on sustainability, food security and bioenergy have long been a traditional pillar of research at the University of Hohenheim. This can be seen for example in the existince of three such sceintific centers:  the Center for Agriculture in the Tropics and Subtropics, the Food Security Center and the enter for Bioenergy and Biobased Products.

It is this inter-disciplinary variety which makes it possible to develop complete, holisitc scientific concepts and approaches. In total, approximately 70 professors are at work at the three centers. The spectrum ranges from economic issues (in agriculture), agricultural policy and sociology in agriculture to animal science, plant science and agricultural engineering to biotechnology and ecology, as well as meteorology and climate research.

We heartily invite the press to attend the 38th Hohenheim "Umwelttagung" on Thursday, 16th February, starting at 9.30 a.m. There will be a press conference starting at 1:00 p.m. in the "Blauer Saal" in Hohenheim Palace. Please refer to the conference agenda for more information.

The Hohenheim "Umwelttagung" unites the various research fields under the motto: "Managing the challenges of sustainable crop cultivation within the confines of energy, food, environmental and biodiversity concerns" (Im Spannungsfeld zwischen Energie, Ernährung, Klimaschutz und Biodiversität: Biomasseerzeugung nachhaltig entwickeln). The topics to be addressed are:

• How the cultivation of non-food crops must addesss environmental and social concerns;

• Preserving biological diversity in agriculture and minimizing conflict;

• The further development of economic and technology-based incentives for sporning sustainable production;

• The necessity of establishing standards to move towards the use of biogas and the lucrativeness of doing so;

• Alternatives to biofuels: energy production in arid regions

 

Hohenheim Environmental Conference

The Hohenheim "Umwelttagung" unites two targets: First of all it is a forum for discussing current environmental issues; secondly, it is a marketplace for ideas about how to develop strategies and approaches for dealing with these issues.

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