Visioning: Towards a new initiative on Earth system research for global

sustainability research

Prof. Deliang CHEN, ICSU Executive Director

An Initiative arising from Visioning and Belmont efforts

Earth System Visioning (2009-2011)

• mandated by the ICSU General Assembly in 2008 • to outline options for an overall framework for global environmental change research • established in cooperation with ISSC

Belmont Forum

• a high-level body of main funders of environmental change research • established in 2009• to catalyze delivery of the environmental science-derived solutions that society needs

Visioning: a three-year consultative process

Function Form Transition

•Business as usual is not an option

•Need an overarching structure

•A Joint Integrated Strategy under unified framework•Strategically integrating GECs and other structures

•Five Grand Challenges

•Integration across disciplines

•A new way of doing research

2009 2011

The Belmont Challenge

This requires: •Assessments of risks, impacts and vulnerabilities, through regional and decadal analysis and prediction•Information on the state of the environment, through advanced observing systems•Interaction of natural and social sciences•Enhanced environmental information service provision to users•Effective international coordination mechanisms.

To deliver knowledge needed for action to mitigate and adapt to detrimental environmental change and extreme hazardous events.

Thanks to NSF for support!

The Belmont Report

“Regional Environmental Change: Human action and adaptation – what does it take to meet the

Belmont Challenge?”

• Readiness of the community• Impediments• Road Map to address the Belmont Challenge• Instruments and Initiatives• Conclusions

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Readiness of the CommunityThe academic community is aware of the

challenges, however• The selection of research topics is often

dominated by academic curiosity and disciplinary challenges, and much less so by societal needs

• Impressive disciplinary knowledge has been accumulated (data & models) but is not brought to full use for Belmont Challenge type questions

• The institutional structure and the incentives for integrated analyses of the Belmont Challenge are not sufficiently developed

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Impediments

• Funding Structure– Academic funding often organized along disciplinary lines– Difficulties in coordinating international funding schemes– Lack of funding for local academics in the most vulnerable

regions

• Educational Systems– The academic reward system does not support integrated

research activities– At least Postdoctoral programs should emphasize

interdisciplinary expertise

• Infrastructure and Facilities– Infrastructure for regional environmental issues has been

developed along disciplinary lines – integration is necessary– Even more powerful machines are needed for “Earth

System Prediction Models”

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Requirements

Addressing the issues requires – enhanced understanding of multiple

stressors and their impacts, and vulnerability of ecosystems and society

– better quantification of the rates of change, the controlling factors and feedbacks at relevant spatial and temporal scales;

– thorough assessment of the environmental and societal consequences of mitigation and adaptation strategies

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Requirements

These in turn require more effective use and further development of four elements–Observation and monitoring (Socio-

economic data) – Analysis and prediction (Integrated

Earth system analysis and prediction systems)

– Information and communication (Environment Service)

– Capacity building

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Instruments and Suggested Initiatives

• International Research and Educational Network for Earth System Science (IRNESS)• Pilot Studies–….–….

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Convergence of strategies for a long-term partnership

ICSU – ISSC Visioning

Belmont Forum

Seeking stronger partnership

Cape TownmeetingDec 2010

A global Alliance for a new 10-year initiative

Note: WMO is an observer to ESSI

Earth System Sustainability

Initiative

Earth System for Sustainability Initiative: goals

• Deliver knowledge to respond to global change

• Address the grand challenges

• Engage a new generation of researchers

For more information: www.icsu.org

www.icsu.org/what-we-do/projects-activities/earth-system-sustainability-initiative/