The transitional moment (UM)
20th April starts the 3-day 'Smart Cities in Smart Regions' congress! We now introduce keynotes, workhops!
Meet keynotespeaker: Arie Voorburg
Arie Voorburg, working at Arcadis Europe Innovation & Business Development and (guest) lectures at several universities. Traveled and gained life experience as an officer in the (merchant) navy. Once ashore, he immersed himself in studies of system ecology (co-evolutionary complex systems, quantum biology), biophysics and philosophy and became fascinated by the urban phenomenon; the city in all its facets. Arie has been active for 30 years in the fields of ecology, biodiversity, sustainable development and complex –urban- systems.
Cities are confronted with increasing globalization, trespassing geobiophysical boundaries and the importance of innovation, economic transition, rewriting the social contract and dynamic design.
The anticipated global population of more than 9.7 billion by 2050 poses daunting challenges from providing sufficient energy, food, and water, as well as health care more accurately and at lower cost, to trespassing bio-geophysical boundaries. The complex interactions between economic, social and technological dynamics are volatile and nonlinear, which makes a city system complex and unpredictable. As the fastness of modern life in metropolitan areas creates the definite standards for vital space, one of the most important criteria of urban quality is its functionality and the ability to anticipate and prepare for changes and potential threats.
PART 1, THE STATE WE ARE IN; WELCOME IN THE ANTHROPOCENE
Urban areas / cities are in principle extremely effective and efficient systems as a representation of GNP. At the same time, however, they are also the main cause of biophysical strain (a number of tipping points have already been exceeded) of the global ecosystem, and global, national and regional eco and circulation systems are under pressure. Migration patterns are changing, energy, food and water are valuable scarce goods, and technological developments are accelerating. A number of uncertain factors play a role in this, such as an unstable economy, social processes of exclusion, geopolitical structures on the move, changing demographics and resource scarcity.
But these aspects are also potential opportunities and development perspectives; especially if we involve nearby developments.
PART 2, THE OPPORTUNITIES/POSSIBLE FACES OF CHANGE
Value for development bio-geophysical composition and processes
TECHNOLOGY. The rapid development of so-called NBIC technologies – nanotechnology, biotechnology, information technology and cognitive science – are giving rise to possibilities that have long been the domain of science fiction. The era of intelligent machines holds much promise. The future could be one of stronger and more inclusive growth or ... a dystopian -but preventable- future.
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The Conference is organized by the Urban Living Lab Breda, Avans University of Applied Sciences and Breda University of Applied Sciences in close co-operation with the municipality of Breda, LAB University of Applied Sciences (FI) and a number of international, national and regional partners and operators.
More information & tickets: https://urbanlivinglabbreda.nl/smartcitiesinsmartregions
