International Ecological Footprint Conference
Stepping Up the Pace: New Developments in Ecological Footprint Methodology, Policy and Practice
8-10 May 2007
City Hall, Cardiff
It was a great pleasure for the BRASS Research Centre at Cardiff University to host the first international academic conference dedicated to Ecological Footprinting in Cardiff. The conference represented one of the largest and most diverse Ecological Footprinting conferences to date, with over 200 delegates attending from more than 23 different nations. We were delighted to attract so many leading scholars, policy-makers and practitioners with an interest in Ecological Footprinting, and it was a great privilege to be able to meet and listen to so many expert speakers.
For BRASS the conference represented a further step in a fascinating journey that began with our contribution to measuring the Ecological Footprint of Cardiff, Wales’ capital city. What that project brought home to me personally is that Ecological Footprinting is not only a scientific measurement tool, but a means to connect very directly our consumption decisions and lifestyles with their global ecological consequences. As a metaphor the concept of a ‘footprint’ combines simplicity with power. It is easy for people to visualise and ‘connect’ with, and is something wonderfully ‘human’. However, behind this apparently simple concept lies an increasingly sophisticated world of measurement and model building. During the conference it was clear that our understanding of Ecological Footprinting methodologies, its role in policy-making and its practical applications are evolving rapidly, and that the discussions and exchanges sparked by the conference represented an important part of that evolution.
I would also like to take this last opportunity to thank again all those who contributed to the conference as organisers, sponsors, speakers and delegates.
Professor Ken Peattie, Director
BRASS Research Centre.
The final conference report is now available on CD, together with copies of speaker’s presentations, papers, workshop summaries and delegate feedback on the event. These can also be downloaded from the BRASS website.
