key: cord-0069000-5t17lwl0
authors: Schönborn, Andreas
title: Special Issue: IEES Conference “Closed Cycles and the Circular Society – The Power of Ecological Engineering”
date: 2021-10-27
journal: Circ.Econ.Sust.
DOI: 10.1007/s43615-021-00125-x
sha: 91ddb3d9b8fb19c7723937971d44715ef8ed4d54
doc_id: 69000
cord_uid: 5t17lwl0

nan

supported by the Ecological Engineering Societies of Germany (IOeV) and North America (AEES), by EPEA Switzerland, Reykjavik University, The Global Water Partnership of Central and Eastern Europe and VUNA GmbH.

The contents revolved around material cycles, circular and nature-based solutions and their implementation at different levels and scales. The present special issue with 13 contributions as well as two earlier concept papers on "Redefining Ecological Engineering" [1] and on "Ecological Engineering Education" [2] reflect the diversity in this field.

The most exciting result of the symposium for us organizers was the excellent quality of the content and the exchanges between participants. We don't think this was only due to the quality of the auditorium, but also due to a social phenomenon. Presenters and participants were thirsty for input, after several months of the pandemic. All had to take part from their homes. Thus, cabinets, bookshelves, and plants piled up in the background.

The threshold for asking questions was lower than usual at symposia. The possibility of being able to watch the lectures again afterwards as a video was also appreciated.

We were able to show to an interested audience that online symposia can work very well. The "Family of Ecological Engineers" emerged strengthened and inspired from this experience.

Andreas Schoenborn & Raffael Kaenzig Co-presidents of the International Ecological Engineering Society -IEES

Redefining ecological engineering in the context of circular economy and sustainable development

Education in ecological engineering : a need whose time has come