Transcript Response to Inputs

Future Earth
Summary of comments received and initial responses
Who has commented?
 GEC programs (DIVERSITAS, IGBP, IHDP, WCRP,
ESSP), Alliance members, Projects, Joint projects
 “Town Halls” e.g. PUP
 Launch events e.g. Rio+20
 National Committees
 Regional consultations
 Various international groups e.g. PROVIA
 Individual discussions with Alliance and Transition
Team
Comments
 Support for a more integrated, international and
interdisciplinary framework for GEC research with more
stable funding and infrastructure
 Like the simple accessible name of Future Earth
 Pleased to see an initiative that responds to the
sustainable development agenda, the increasing
overlaps/links between the GEC programs, implements
the spirit of Amsterdam/PUP and Rio+20, and the need
to look at long term transformations
Future Earth: Proposed Integrated Research Themes
June 2012
1
A Changing Planet: Understanding earth, ecological and societal system
trends, drivers, processes, and projections
2
Resources for development and wellbeing: ensuring the sustainable
provision of food, water, health and ecosystem services
3
Low Carbon Societies: Linking Climate Change, Energy and the Economy
4
Living with the Sea: Oceans, coasts and blue societies
5
Reducing the risk of catastrophes: Global thresholds and disaster risk
reduction
6
Pivotal places: Cities, regions, and critical biomes
7
Global Responses: Managing change and governing the environment
8
Transformative Pathways: Fundamental changes for a Sustainable,
Inclusive and Prosperous Future Earth
9
Other themes to be proposed by the scientific community…..
4
Comments - 1
 What needed fixing? Why change things that are
working well?
 Top down, lack of understanding/representation of
existing GEC programs and projects, lack of attention
to developing world, lack of response to input
 Not enough reassuring detail for projects, scientists,
national funders about transition process and
governance
 Research strategy is too …natural science/social
science, academic/solutions/stakeholder/future
oriented
 Overall tone is too negative, catastrophic, advocacy
Comments - 2
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Need a simpler/more complex conceptual framework
It is much too broad, needs to be selective
Lack of attention to basic science
Its too social/its not social enough
Its too stakeholder driven/not driven enough
Why not ground up clustering of existing projects?
Why not just use ICSU visioning framework? Why not
use MA framework?
 Why not focus just on linking science to policy and leave
science with existing programs? Why not just be a
GCRP for sustainability?
Comments - 3
 Needs to make links to conventions and assessments
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much clearer
Should emphasize regions more (less)
Is WCRP in or out?
What about trade offs?
Risks of stakeholder driven science
Why not mention specific projects?
Why 10 years?
Needs more on joint communication strategy
Need a better defined audience
Comments on Initial Research Themes
 State of the Earth and Resources for Development are too
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broad
What is the transformation theme really about?
Too much overlap between them
Oceans should not have separate theme, it looks
biased/special interest
Don’t like pivotal places…why highlight certain
places/biomes?
Biodiversity needs to be more visible
Land change science poorly represented
Cities not well represented
Engineering poorly represented
(my project/program should be better represented/a core
theme….)
Why not do sectors Water/Biodiversity/Energy/Cities?
Comments on missing or alternative research themes
 Biodiversity theme
 Land/terrestrial theme: Sharing Land
 Urban Earth
 Future Water
 Future Forests
 Cultural theme
 Climate change theme
 Food theme
 Materials and energy and economics themes
 Health theme
 Infrastructure theme
Other aspects of TT response…so far
 Create a simpler list of three themes that highlight….
 The dynamic planet > input into key assessments, basic
science, earth system science
 GEC research for decision making, development,
resource stewardship > food, water, biodiversity, energy
etc.
 Long term transformative research > understanding
changes in fundamental driving forces, new technologies,
values