Article

Earth System Research Priorities

Walter V. ReidWalter V. Reid is chair of the ICSU Earth System Visioning Task Group, directed the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, and is Conservation and Science Director at the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, Los Altos, CAC. BréchignacCatherine Bréchignac is president of ICSU and president of the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Paris, FranceYuan Tseh LeeYuan Tseh Lee is president-elect of ICSU; President Emeritus and Distinguished Research Fellow at the Academy of Sciences located in Taipei; and received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry

Sciencejournal2009en

ABI

Abstract

Human-induced climate change was unknown outside of limited scientific circles just 25 years ago, but it has now become the focus of intense national discussions and international negotiations. One chapter in the story of how this issue moved from lab benches to national capitals was recognized by the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize, which was co-awarded to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) for its influential assessments of the state of scientific knowledge. But the story also involves the research itself; in particular, that catalyzed by the Global Environmental Change Research Programmes * and the Earth System Science Partnership. These programs, sponsored by the International Council for Science (ICSU) in partnerships with other international science organizations ( www.icsu.org ), have helped to catalyze and guide global environmental research for several decades. But it's time to propose new research priorities, and ICSU seeks input through a Web consultation process now under way.

Topics

Climate Change and Environmental Impact Marine and environmental studies Science and Climate Studies

Identifiers

DOI: 10.1126/science.1178591

Citations and references

Cited by 00 references

Metrics — AkademScholar · Coming soon