Support for the International Council for Science (ICSU) Environmental and Global Environmental Change Activities 01 September 2008 - 31 August 2013

International Science Council, Paris

Investigators

Abstract

The International Council for Science (ICSU) will coordinate international science, bringing together the best minds to address global issues and to help make investments in science more cost-effective, particularly through implementation of its new Strategic Plan. ICSU will address a number of global environmental change activities, emphasizing its reviews and analyses of the Earth System Science Partnership (ESSP), the International Geosphere-Biosphere Program (IGBP), the World Climate Research Program (WCRP) and DIVERSITAS (an international program of biodiversity science). ICSU will conduct these activities in large part through the efforts of its Environment Science Officer. Other ICSU environmental activities will include: representation of science (especially research) interests in activities of the international Group on Earth Observations (GEO), in particular in development of the Global Earth Observing System of Systems (GEOSS); promoting and encouraging international efforts to assure the effective and timely international exchange of scientific data and information; and the convening of international scientific meetings to advance research in the geosciences and environment, in particular, in the area of global change research. Assuming that ICSU's reviews of the ESSP and WCRP referred to above are positive, ICSU will continue its partial funding of the ESSP and WCRP program coordination activities. The WCRP will continue to provide the structure that enables physical climate system researchers to develop long-term and short-term international strategic plans addressing key research questions, coordinate international activities on a tremendous range of scales, and engage in and seek out new opportunities for interdisciplinary research activities. The WCRP will also be responsible for development of the increased knowledge and tools needed for operational and experimental climate forecasting. ICSU will expand and improve its efforts to advance research in the geosciences in developing countries - most especially in Africa - but in other parts of the developing world as well. A focus of ICSU's efforts will be to more effectively address the need to assure that the results of international research under its aegis are transmitted effectively to policy-makers and stake holders.