International Year of Chemistry

Sat, 31 Dec 2011 00:00:00 +1300

The International Year of Chemistry will be celebrated worldwide in 2011.

The Royal Society of New Zealand and the New Zealand Institute of Chemistry have set up a website to provide updates on events, competitions and speakers, as well as interesting resources about chemistry

The website will feature all the events organised by the Royal Society and by the Institute of Chemistry, as well as other organisations. These include lectures by international chemist, Professor Robin Clark looking at pigments in art, a chemistry quiz for secondary school students, the Marie Curie lecture series featuring New Zealand women chemists and running throughout 2011, lectures by the Rutherford Medal winner, Professor Warren Tate, and an art exhibition, ‘The Art of Science’ which will tour New Zealand.

For more information on events happening in New Zealand, go to http://yearofchemistry.org.nz/

Year of Sustainable Energy for All

Sun, 01 Jan 2012 00:00:00 +1300

2012 is the UN International Year of Sustainable Energy for All.

Energy is central to nearly every major challenge, and opportunity the world faces today. Be it jobs, security, climate change, food production or increasing incomes , access to sustainable energy for all is essential for strengthening economies, protecting ecosystems and achieving equity.

In fact, more than 1.4 billion people worldwide have no access to electricity, and 1 billion more only have intermittent access. Some 2.5 billion people – almost half of humanity – rely on traditional biomass for cooking and heating.

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon made sustainable energy one of his five priorities that will guide his second 5-year term. Specifically, he will direct the United Nations to extend energy’s reach in order to combat endemic poverty. Universal access to energy, improved efficiency and enhanced deployment of renewable sources are ambitious goals, and the Secretary-General is leading a Sustainable Energy for All initiative to make them achievable.

For more information, go to http://www.sustainableenergyforall.org/

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International Year of Chemistry

Year of Sustainable Energy for All