Call for papers: 32nd International Geographical Congress (IGC) 2012, Cologne, August 26th-30th 2012 (deadline 15 December 2011)

Key topic: Global Change & Globalisation

Session: Globalisation of trade and production and (ecological) sustainability

Chairs: Amelie Bernzen (University of Cologne) & Peter Dannenberg (Humboldt-University Berlin)

Abstract:

Globalisation of trade and production across all types of commodities has led to increasingly complex, internationalised relations between suppliers and buyers along global value chains. This goes hand in hand with new challenges for sustainable development both on global (e.g. transport related CO2 emissions) and local scales (e.g. pollution by local production for global value chains). While public awareness regarding the ecological (but also social and economical) problems related to these developments is rising, organizing and coordinating these global production networks has become so complex and extensive that the knowledge on how they work and how they can be sustainably shaped remains limited so far.

However, this knowledge is important to seriously identify and address main challenges of globalisation and adjust existing approaches seeking to improve sustainability outcomes (e.g. fair trade movements and environmental standards).

This session aims to discuss the manifold facets of sustainability related to globalised trade and production on regional, national and global levels, while taking into account social, institutional and environmental frameworks within which supply chains are embedded. Which are the major challenges, and which solutions are developed by the actors involved?

Papers in this session may address different aspects of the relations between globalization and sustainability including:

• Organisation and coordination of global supply chains

• Diffusion and implementation of environmental standards

• Environmental impact of foreign direct investments (tapping resources, global sourcing ‐ local externalities justice and externalities)

• Environment and transport

Information about submitting abstracts can be found at www.igc2012.org (deadline December 15th 2011). For further questions please contact Amelie Bernzen (a.bernzen@uni-koeln.de) or Peter Dannenberg (peter.dannenberg@geo.hu-berlin.de).