Live on the Internet: Conference on the sustainable use of resources in Davos and Nagoya

R’09 and the first "World Resources Forum" (WRF) are being held simultaneously in Davos and the Japanese city of Nagoya from 14 to 16 September 2009. Thanks to the latest in video conferencing technology, participants no longer have to fly between continents – with the burden that this would impose on the environment.

For the ninth time already, the focus at R’09 and the WRF in Davos is on the efficient use of resources and energy. The conference is being organised by Empa in cooperation with the Swiss Academy of Engineering Sciences (SATW) and the EcoTopia Science Institute of the University of Nagoya. The aim is to improve the material and energy efficiency of products and processes – not only during production but also during product use and at the recycling stage.

"Green" use of the latest information and communication technologies

Through its use of a videoconferencing system, the conference itself will be demonstrating how it is possible to save on resources by employing the latest information and communication technologies. The "virtual" auditorium in Davos and the mirrored arrangement in Nagoya are divided into two: one half of the auditorium is real while, in the other half, the participants in one location see the participants at the other location – in full HD quality. The speakers take the floor "live" on an alternating basis in Japan and Switzerland and can interact with all the participants, irrespective of the location they happen to be in, answering questions after the presentation, for example. And all this in real time.

The data is transmitted via SWITCH's high-performance education and research network. Thanks to the excellent cooperation between SWITCH and other academic networks, video conferences of this type are possible without any major outlay on additional investments. All that was necessary for the conference was for a short fibre optic line to be laid from Davos Congress Centre to the nearest SWITCH glass fibre node.

Both conference locations additionally have two "hot spots" for informal meetings and discussions – in the lounge and the café area, with a big screen, microphones and cameras in each case. Cisco is providing one of its market-leading technologies with the "TelePresence" videoconferencing system.

And it is even possible to participate in the WRF entirely on a virtual basis (and hence in a more environmentally-friendly fashion). This is thanks to the "WRF Student Reporter" blog initiated by the Mercator Schweiz Foundation. Ten international students will be blogging live from Davos and delivering background reports, interviews and impressions directly to your PC via the internet.

• The R'09 twin conference