General aim of the Congress

The general objective of the Congress is to be a social and scientific forum for an open debate of problems related to the relationship between development and the environment from a Latin American perspective, in a world wide context characterized by economic globalization.

Specific Objectives of the Congress

• To identify the common aspects and differentiating facts that give rise to successful strategies for local development as well as to underline critical elements that threaten such strategies.
• To set in the reach of scientific and social communities a wide spectrum of views, concepts, techniques and experiences that allow a better analysis and design of strategies for a better environmental, social and economic development.
• To generate a space in which experts from different disciplinary fields and social organization can meet and dialogue in order to enhance integrated social scientific approaches of environmental and developmental problems in Latin America.
• To generate formal and informal channels of communication among researchers from different disciplines in American and European countries, encouraging young researchers participation in the debate.
• To set the base for launching the Ibero America Network of Ecological Economics.

Short-term goals after the Congress

• To create the Ibero American Network of Ecological Economics (INEE).
• To carry on with the WEB page of the INEE.
• To create and actively maintain an INEE electronic discussion forum.

Middle-term goals after the Congress

• To launch an electronic newsletter (in Spanish and Portuguese) with articles, news and contributions from the members of the network.
• To channel through INEE initiatives of joint research among the members of the network.
• To encourage collaborative links between social organisations and scientists.
• To celebrate biannual Ibero American meetings on development and the environment.