Apologies for cross-postings.



Dear colleagues,



I am pleased to inform you that the Food and Agriculture Organization of the
United Nations and the Universidad de Valencia, together with several
sponsors, are convening a Global Forum on Salinization and Climate Change.
The Forum will be hosted by the Universidad de Valencia and Spanish
authorities, in Valencia, Spain,  25-29 October 2010. The Forum website is
<http://www.uv.es/jorba/GFSCC2010> http://www.uv.es/jorba/GFSCC2010.



The Forum will constitute an opportunity to discuss, from a
multi-disciplinary perspective, the problems associated with salinization
and climate change and will strengthen the dialogue between policy makers,
scientists and field experts. We are calling for soil, water, agriculture
and biodiversity experts and institutions, environment and agriculture
ministries, private sector and regional and international organizations
dealing with salinization or climate change.



The forum will have a mixed format: the scientific basis for different
thematic areas will be presented and discussed during the mornings, while
there will be time for economic and policy considerations during the
afternoons, providing opportunities for interaction between policy makers,
scientists and field experts. The following topics will be covered:



I.                    Identifying systems vulnerable to salinization,
including agroecoystems (irrigated and rainfed), soils, water bodies,
biodiversity and fragile ecosystems and available tools and information
systems to assess and monitor the evolution of salinization

II.                  Preventing and managing salinization under climate
change threats: learning from past experiences, introducing new technologies
and facilitating the exchange of knowledge

III.                Alternative land use systems/ecosystem services in
salt-affected habitats

IV.                Evaluating the effects of climate change on coastal
areas, lagoons and wetlands, including economical, social and environmental
aspects.

V.                  Analysis of the effects of increased salinization on
food security at national, regional and global levels.



Your participation in the Forum is an opportunity to expose your work and
expertise to a wide audience, to identify further needs from the scientific
and policy point of view, to identify priorities for action and exchange
practices and technologies to combat salinization and adapt agriculture to
climate change.



Extended information about the GFSCC2010, the Announcement and other useful
information can be found at the website http://www.uv.es/jorba/GFSCC2010



Your participation will be welcomed! Please, help us in a wide diffusion of
the event.



Best regards,



Jorge



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Prof. Dr. Jorge Batlle-Sales.



Secretary of the Working Group of Salt Affected Soils

International Union of Soil Sciences



Vicepresident for Spain

World Association for Soil and Water Conservation



Departamento de Biologia Vegetal.

Universidad de Valencia.

Avda. Vicente Andres Estelles s/n.

46100 Burjasot (VALENCIA). SPAIN.



Email  <mailto:[log in to unmask]> [log in to unmask]

Phone +34-963544289

Website  <http://www.uv.es/jorba/Index> http://www.uv.es/jorba/Index

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