Cologne, 30 August 2006
Dear Colleague,
At the request of IGU Executive Committee, I have agreed to assume the role of theme leader for contributions by geographers to the “International Year of Planet Earth” (IYPE) topic of Megacities. I do this as Chair of the IGU MegaCity Task Force and leader of the Science Implementation Team of the IYPE key topic “Megacities – our global urban future”. In a brochure the main questions were introduced (see www.esfs.org): (1) How can we improve quality of life in megacities? (2) How can we achieve more sustainable and safer megacities that make more balanced use of resources? (3) How can we use space better - above and below the surface?
Given the short time available from the start-up date to the “harvest period” of the IYPE I propose to focus on the following subset of core questions (without excluding the others):
· How can “quality of life” in megacities be monitored, governed and steered?
· How can megacities become more competitive, creative, safe and attractive environments?
· How could better urban design, construction, maintenance and management practices reduce the ecological footprint and how can the interaction of stakeholders be improved?
· How can we better make benefits from formal and informal drivers in planning processes?
· How can we safeguard megacity water resources and secure food and energy supplies?
· What are the visions for, and models of, future megacities? How can visualization, decision support systems and scenario methodologies be improved to help with decision making? ]
As theme leader it will be my responsibility to act as a key facilitator for geographers who would like to contribute to the IYPE. I am addressing this especially to geographers who are involved in special cross-disciplinary national IYPE-committees. The main aim is to provide information on ongoing activities in different countries and make it available to the wider research communities, not to establish new research projects. Against this background I am seeking researchers who are willing to contribute insights from their work with respect to the above questions related to either science and/or outreach. Especially welcome are particularly hopeful positive examples, success stories and best practices.
I would be pleased to receive information on your research findings which speak directly to the questions identified in the IYPE brochure, and also examples of places and mechanisms used to communicate your findings in the media, education and the wider public. Please also send me addresses of colleagues within your geography communities who work on these research questions. Your suggestions and recommendations by mail or email are highly appreciated.
Let me have these responses by 30 September 2006. This could enable me to draft a summary outline of the IGU contributions to IYPE Megacities, including a detailed time-table for presentation of results, for submission to the IGU Executive Committee for consideration at their meeting in Tunis 11-16 November 2006.
Thank you very much! With kind regards,
Frauke Kraas .