The E-Zine is IHDP's quarterly e-mail newsletter including the most updated news, events, calls and vacancies from IHDP and the IHDP network. To get the E-Zine delivered directly to your inbox please subscribe

Dear Readers,
The months immediately following our IHDP Open Meeting 2009, “Social Challenges of Global Change”, have been devoted to analysing the conference’s impact and the feedback received by participants during and after the event. As our recently issued conference report reflects, 938 participants from 85 countries came to Bonn for the conference. The mix of researchers presenting at the IHDP Open Meeting 2009 created a motivating and rewarding dialogue. Of those who provided relevant information during the registration process, 43 percent were female, highlighting a fair gender distribution among the delegates. Scientists from 31 to 40 years of age, dominated the body of participants with scientists from 41 to 50 years of age making up the second largest group present, and more than 16 percent of the participants being students of academic levels (Bachelor, Master, PhD).

Thanks to the financial support provided by various donors, IHDP was able to provide stipends to 11.5 percent of the presenting scholars. This was a major contributing factor to the conference’s remarkable presence of participants from developing countries. Besides these numbers, we have now created a multimedia service at http://www.openmeeting2009.org reflecting some of the scientific outcomes of the conference. The new online features include videos and photos of the conference’s sessions, meetings, social and public events, the opening and closing ceremonies, the White Couch interviews and the plenary speeches. The website also includes new links to power-point presentations and full papers. A selection of twenty-five of the conference's videos have been made available to a wider public through YouTube.

In order to improve our future performance, we invited participants to evaluate the Open Meeting during the conference. A total of 131 participants returned the completed evaluation forms. The general grade for the meeting was 2.46 (“good”), with 1 being the best score and 5 the worst score. The best scores went to the „selection of scientific issues“ (2.08) and the networking possibilities (2.14). The opportunities for networking seemed to have been very good, with an aggregated mark of 2.14 and “good” support rate of 43.5% and “excellent” 23.66%. Regarding the scientific quality of sessions, posters and plenary sessions, the scientific level was rated with aggregated scores of 2.41, with 53% of participants considering the scientific quality of the conference „good“ or „excellent“. The plenary sessions received an aggregat ed score of 2.35 (average good), with a 39% “good” rates and an “excellent” rate of 20%. 14% of the participants considered the plenaries to be “below the average”. The quality of the parallel sessions scored a 2.60 aggregated score, with 38% majority rating the sessions as “good”, and 30% as “average”. We would very much like to thank all those who provided their support to make this conference a reality.

Also during the first semester of 2009, IHDP was present at an international level through several other international events, such as the Global Environmental Change and Human Security (GECHS) Project Synthesis Conference, held at the University of Oslo, Norway, from June 22-24, 2009. The conference gathered more than 160 researchers, policy makers and stakeholders from some 30 countries to consolidate and discuss research findings on the relationship between human security and global environmental change, and to define a new research agenda. The IHDP Secretariat and GECHS co-published an special issue of the IHDP UPDATE magazine on the project’s synthesis process, available for download. The successful World Social Science Forum, organized by ISSC in Bergen from 10-12 May, 2009, was another good opportunity to showcase our community’s research: the ESSP, in partnership with IHDP and the German Global Change Committee, co-convened a session on Land Use Conflicts. IHDP is now preparing its participation in the 2009 Amsterdam Conference on the Human Dimensions of Global Change. The Amsterdam conference will be the global launch event of the Earth System Governance Project, a new ten-year research programme under the auspices of IHDP.

We would also like to take this opportunity to wish a warm farewell to our Executive Director, Dr Andreas Rechkemmer, who will be leaving the IHDP Secretariat at the end of this month. We at the Secretariat would also like to wish him all the best in his future endeavours. Dr Rechkemmer has written a goodbye message to the IHDP community, which we are including in this issue of our electronic newsletter.

We are pleased to present IHDP's third E-Zine of 2009.

Gabriela Litre -IHDP Communications Manager

Contents

1. News
2. People
3. IHDP Events
4. Other Events
5. Publications
6. Vacancies
7. Calls

NEWS

IHDP Open Meeting 2009 – New Multimedia Website and Report Missed a plenary or a public event during the IHDP Open Meeting 2009? Would you like to take a look at some of the best papers presented at the conference, or find photos from the Opening Ceremony and the rReceptions? What did participants say in the White Couch? The contributions of 938 participants, who define, challenge and implement the international human dimensions research agenda made of the IHDP Open Meeting 2009 a great success. We have tried to reflect all this, and more, throughin our just newly updated IHDP Open Meeting Website. Photos, videos, articles, and the variety of other formats presented in the website reflect the intense debates, ranging from high-level plenaries, 91 parallel sessions, about 25 special sessions and events, to a lively exhibition area for exchange and informal gatherings. A summary report on the IHDP Open Meeting 2009, “Social Challenges of Global Change”, is also available at the website.

IHDP Open Meeting 2009 - Request for Final Papers All participants of the IHDP Open Meeting 2009, "Social Challenges of Global Change", who would like to have their papers published in the Open Meeting website, and considered for use in other follow-up documentation of the conference, should please send their papers to Louise Smith (smith@ihdp.unu.edu) before 31 August 2009. More information

IHDP Open Meeting 2009 – Evaluation by Participants During the recent IHDP Open Meeting 2009, „Social challenges of Global Change“, we invited participants to evaluate the conference. A total of 131 participants returned the completed evaluation forms during the event. The general grade about the meeting was 2.46 (“good”), with 1 being the best score and 5 the worst score. The best scores went to the Selection of Scientific Issues (2.08) and the Networking Possibilities (2.14). The opportunities for networking seemed to have been very good, with an aggregated mark of 2.14 and “good” support rate of 43.5% and “excellent” 23.66%. According to the feedback received, the Open Meeting contributed with new ideas on an average good rate (aggregated score 2.39), with the majority of people thinking that it was “good” at the 34%, and “average” of 27%. Only 10% considered that the Open Meeting “poorly” contributed to new ideas, but 54% of people thought that the IHDP Open Meeting 2009 presented new questions to their research or interests. The aggregated score in this section got a 2.44 mark.
The data showed that 99 people, representing 75% of responses, had never attended a previous Open Meeting. The main source of information for people to attend the Open Meeting was through colleagues and friends (42.75%) and also through the IHDP website (27%).
The time slot for each session was ranked as “good” by 43.51% of the participants. The selection of venues for each session had a 60% response rate between “good” and “average”. The social events had an aggregated mark of 2.66, which disentangled shows a 34% of “average” opinions and 14% “excellent” ranking. One third (29%) of people thought that the paper submission and review process was “good”, with the second majority of 17% giving an “average” score. Regarding the scientific quality of sessions, posters and plenary sessions, the scientific level was rated with aggregated scores of 2.41, with 53% of participants considering the scientific quality of the conference good or excellent. The plenary sessions received an aggregated score of 2.35 (average good), with a 39% “good” rates and an “excellent” rate of 20%. Only 14% of the participants considered the pl enaries to be “below the average”. The quality of the parallel sessions scored a 2.60 aggregate score, with 38% majority rating the sessions as “good”, and 30% as “average. While we continue analysing this very encouraging feedback, we would like to invite you to send us your own comments and suggestions about the conference directly to , with the wording “OM Feedback” on the subject. More information about the conference can be found at http://www.openmeeting2009.org

IHDP call for Nominations/Applications for membership of its Scientific Committee The International Human Dimensions Programme on Global Environmental Change (IHDP) has opened a call for Nominations/Applications for membership of its Scientific Committee. The deadline for applications is 31 July 2009. More Information

Land-Ocean Interactions in the Coastal Zone (LOICZ) – Call for SSC candidates Land-Ocean Interactions in the Coastal Zone (LOICZ) project has issued a call for candidates for its scientific steering committee. LOICZ is a joint core project of IGBP and the International Human Dimensions Programme (IHDP). An international Scientific Steering Committee (SSC) oversees its activities. The SSC represents a broad spectrum of scientific disciplines and nationalities. Deadline for applications: 1 August 2009. Download Call

GECHS Synthesis Conference: Human Security in an Era of Global Change. The Global Environmental Change and Human Security (GECHS) Project successfully held its Synthesis Conference at the University of Oslo, Norway, on June 22-24, 2009. The GECHS Synthesis Conference represented an opportunity to synthesize the results of 10 years of research on the human security theme. It gathered more than 160 researchers, policy makers and stakeholders from some 30 countries to consolidate and discuss research findings on the relationship between human security and global environmental change, and to define a new research agenda. The IHDP Secretariat and GECHS co-published an special issue of the IHDP UPDATE magazine on the project’s synthesis process. More Information and Download

Major new collaborative opportunity with CGIAR Challenge Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) The new CGIAR Challenge Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) is now being launched. CCAFS has been jointly developed by the GEC community (under the auspices of ESSP) and the CGIAR, and offers an unprecedented opportunity for GEC researchers to engage in collaborative work on this very important topic. Substantial funding for this 10-year project is anticipated. To help the CCAFS management identify potentially interested researchers from within the GEC community, please register your interest on-line. A project overview and links to background documents can also be found at this site.

Three new IGBP Fast Track Initiatives IGBP has announced that three new Fast Track Initiatives have been launched for the period 2009-2011: Upper Ocean Nutrient Limitation: processes, patterns and potential for change. The coordinators are Mark Moore (UK), Matt Mills (US), Doug Wallace (Chair of SOLAS), and the SOLAS International Project Office Regionalisation of the Nitrogen Visualisation Tool. The coordinators are Albert Bleeker (Netherlands) and Jim Galloway (US) Mega cities and the Coastal Zone: air-sea interactions. The coordinators are: Roland von Glasow (SOLAS SSC) and Tim Jickells (UK), Tong Zhu (co-Chair of IGAC SSC) and Yutaka Kondo (IGAC SSC), and Jozeph Pacyna, (former Chair of LOICZ)

Global Land Project International Workshop - Beijing “Vulnerability and Resilience of Land Systems in Asia”, was the name of the international workshop organised by the Global Land Project, Beijing Nodal Office, China, the Global Land Project, Sapporo Nodal Office, Japan, the Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the Sustainability Governance Project, Hokkaido University, Japan. The workshop, which took place at the Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research Chinese Academy of Sciences, in Beijing, on 15-17 June 2009, aimed at integrating knowledge on the vulnerability of land systems to multiple stressors in Asia. Presentations were made by scholars who engage in research in assessment of system outcomes of multiple, interacting perturbations. Contributions addressed major research challenges such as models, metrics and measures of land system vulnerability and resilience, scales and vulnerability tele-connections, social systems and resilience, institutional change and vulnerability, ecosystem services vulnerability and market-based mechanisms, urban ecosystems and vulnerability, and vulnerability of dryland systems. The output of the conference will be in form of an edited volume published by Springer. More Information about GLP

ESSP convenes Land Use Conflicts Session at the World Social Science Forum The ESSP, in partnership with the IHDP and the German Global Change Committee, co-convened a session on Land Use Conflicts at the World Social Science Forum in Bergen, 10-12 May 2009. This panel session documented these conflicts in quantitative terms but also examined a variety of mechanisms for resolving or managing conflicts over alternative uses of land in an era increasingly dominated by various forms of global environmental change. The session addressed land use conflicts (food, energy, biodiversity, urban) from an interdisciplinary perspective, tapping expertise from the social and natural sciences. More Information

ICSU Visioning Process What are the next-generation science questions in Earth system research? In the context of mounting concern and greater public and private willingness to take action against global environmental change, what should Earth system research focus on over the next decade? The ICSU Earth System Visioning process is designed to find answers to this questions by first collecting the broad spectrum of different views across disciplines and parts of the world and then focusing these down through a peer review process into a set of major international research priorities. IHDP would like the human dimensions research community to become involved in this process by contributing to identify the critical themes in Earth System research through a human dimensions perspective. Interested scholars can join the ICSU visioning process by registering here

Second meeting of the European Alliance of Global Change Committees 24-25 April 2009, Bonn/Koenigswinter, Germany The European National Committees of IGBP, DIVERSITAS (Biodiversity research programme), International Human Dimensions Programme on Global Environmental Change and the World Climate Research Programme have launched an Alliance of European Global Change Committees to create a unique platform that addresses specific European problems within the context of global change. Eight countries have accepted the Alliance charter and eleven additional countries will announce their final decision at the next meeting of the European Alliance on 17-18 December 2009 in Madrid, Spain. For the coming mandate Wolfram Mauser (University of Munich, Germany, ) was appointed as chair of the European Alliance, Nelson Lourenço (Universidade Atlantica, Portugal, ) as vice-chair. Representatives of European national committees who are interested in joining the European Alliance are heartily welcome to participate in the Alliance's next meeting. For more details regarding charter, minutes or details about the next meeting please contact Bettina Höll ()

CHANS-Net Events at the US-IALE 2009 A new "International Network of Research on Coupled Human and Natural Systems (CHANS-Net)" was recently launched (endorsed by GLP), with support from the U.S. National Science Foundation. The kick-off event of the network was a Symposium on Complexity in Human-Nature Interactions across Landscapes that brought together leading CHANS scientists representing 17 projects funded by NSF. A companion Workshop on Challenges and Opportunities in Research on Complexity of Coupled Human and Natural Systems was held the following day, with participation open to all attendees at the USIALE meeting. More Information

PEOPLE

Farewell Message from IHDP’s Executive Director

"Dear IHDP Community,
My term as Executive Director of the International Human Dimensions Programme is coming to a close on July 31st. When I joined IHDP in the fall of 2005 we had just held a fairly successful Open Meeting of the Global HD Community in Bonn. Now, at the time I leave IHDP, we just held another, even more successful Open Meeting on the “Social Challenges of Global Change” with 938 participants from all over the world, again in Bonn. In between these two conferences we at the IHDP Secretariat worked very hard to contribute to the growth, prosperity and success of the programme. I can say that we did accomplish quite a bit: joining the UN system and moving to the UN Campus Bonn, enhancing our science-policy portfolio and products at national, regional, and international level, going bolder with our capacity development and training efforts, reaching out to new constituencies in science and practice, winning new donors and partners, broadening our network of affili ated research institutions, relaunching our communications strategy with a new identity, logo, websites and print products, and, most importantly, increasing quantity and quality of IHDP’s scientific operations, especially regarding the synthesis of established projects and the creation of new and promising international research projects on governance, risk, health and social learning. All this has been accomplished together and with the active contribution of the young and dedicated staff at the Secretariat, the IHDP Chair and colleagues on the Scientific Committee and in the projects, ESSP and many other colleagues. It has been accomplished despite all difficulties and challenges. I leave IHDP with a good feeling and a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment. I will carry on many of the insights and inspirations I collected in IHDP to my new functions both in international organization and as a professor of political science. And I trust that I will remain good contacts and work relations with many of you.
All the best,
Andreas Rechkemmer July 2009"

New Earth System Governance Scientific Steering Committee members The Earth System Governance Project welcomes two new members to its Scientific Steering Committee: Professor Susana Camargo Vieira, professor of law at the Universidade de Itaúna, Brazil; and Professor Pius Z. Yanda, Director of the Institute of Resource Assessment of the University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Both new members have been appointed by the IHDP Scientific Committee on 2 May 2009.

New Director of Communications at IGBP Owen Gaffney is the new Director of Communications at IGBP. For over ten years, Mr Gaffney has worked as a journalist, science writer and broadcaster. Before joining IGBP, Mr Gaffney was Head of Publications at the Natural Environment Research Council, the UK’s largest financial supporter of environmental science.

New WCRP Communication and Scientific Officer Roberta Boscolo is the new Communication and Scientific Officer at the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP). Before joining WCRP, Dr Boscolo was a staff scientist at the International CLIVAR Project Office.

IHDP EVENTS

Capacity Building in Global Change and Health Research 17-22 November 2009; Beijing, China Student Training Course On Health and Environmental Change in the Beijing-Tianjin Mega City Area is conducting a call for Participation by International Students. The Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST), People’s Republic of China, is currently funding an international collaborative research project on “Key Approaches to Reduce Potential Environmental Change and Health Risk in Beijing-Tianjin Mega City Area”. As part of the 2009 programme for the MoST Collaborative Project, a student training workshop will be held following a two day Scientific Workshop in November 2009. One of the purposes of the STC is capacity building and international networking linked to related programmes and goals of the International Human Dimensions Programme on Global Environmental Change (IHDP) and the Earth System Science Partnership (ESSP) Joint Project on Global Environmental Change and Human Health (GECHH). Applicants selected for the SW and STC will need to cov er their own travel costs to and from China. During the SW and STC all necessary travel costs within China, accommodation, meal and other costs directly associated with the SW and STC will be covered by the workshop organizers. If coming from outside of China, an official letter of invitation from the Chinese Academy of Science for the visa application will be provided at the time the applicant is notified. All applicants should submit a 500-word abstract, curriculum vitae (between 2 and 5 pages), and letter of reference from their undergraduate or graduate supervisor or the undergraduate or graduate coordinator of their program from their home university. The 500-word abstract should describe an issue that links health and the environment in large urban areas of particular interest to the applicant (first paragraph 300 words) and why the workshop would be of particular use to them in their career development (200 words). Trainees will be selected through a rigorous process by Professor Wuyi Wang (Principal Investigator – MoST Project), Dr. Thomas Krafft (Chair of the Health Advisory Group of IHDP) and Professor Mark Rosenberg (Co-chair of the Scientific Steering Committee of the ESSP GECHH). Applications should be submitted electronically by 11 September 2009 to: Professor Mark W. Rosenberg, Co-chairperson Earth System Science Programme Joint Project on Global Environmental Change and Human Health Department of Geography Queen’s University Kingston, Ontario, Canada, K7L 3N6 All applicants will be notified of the decision of the selection committee around 21 September 2009. Trainees will be asked to prepare a poster about their own research and bring this with them to the STW. If you have any questions, please contact Professor Rosenberg at and make sure that you place in the subject line of your e-mail Beijing Workshop.

Earth System Governance Project Launch at the 2009 Amsterdam Conference The Amsterdam Conference on the Human Dimensions of Global Environmental Change, which will take place on 2-4 December 2009 in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, will be the ninth event in the series of annual European Conferences on the Human Dimensions of Global Environmental Change, begun in Berlin in 2001. This year’s conference will also be the global launch event of the Earth System Governance Project, a new ten-year research programme under the auspices of the International Human Dimensions Programme on Global Environmental Change (IHDP). The conference is hosted jointly by the Institute for Environmental Studies at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and the Netherlands Research School for Socio-economic and Natural Sciences of the Environment (SENSE), in co-operation with their partner institutions: the European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) Action on Transformation of Global Environmental Governance; GLOGOV.ORG–The Global Governance Project; the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies, Japan; the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency; the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences; the Stockholm Resilience Centre; and the Tokyo Institute of Technology. More information

Global Land Project Workshop in Laos 2-3 November 2009; Vientiane, Laos GLP workshop on 'Forest-agriculture frontiers: impacts of land-use transitions on livelihoods and environment in the humid tropics' November 2-3 2009, Vientiane, Laos. This is a joint workshop of GLP and the research project 'Transition of Shifting Cultivation at Forest-Agriculture Frontiers' - a project coordinated by Ole Mertz from University of Copenhagen with partners from Brazil, Mexico, Tanzania and SE Asia. The objective of this workshop is to obtain an overview of the past and on-going land use transitions in the humid tropics and to review the consequences these changes have on local livelihoods and environment. More Information

Conference on Governance of Natural Resources in a Multi-Level Context 19 - 22 January 2010, Leipzig, Germany GoverNat invites the research community, administrators and NGO representatives to present own approaches and experiences and to discuss the project's results in natural resource governance in an attempt to bridge the present distance between abstract theoretical formulations and specific but isolated case descriptions.

OTHER EVENTS

Third World Climate Conference (WCC-3) 31 August – 4 September 2009; Geneva Switzerland Third World Climate Conference (WCC-3) will establish an international framework to guide the development of climate services, which will link science-based climate predictions and information with climate-risk management and adaptation to climate variability and change throughout the world. More Information

Ecological Networks: Science and Practice Conference 1-3 September 2009; Edinburgh, UK This 16th Annual Meeting of the UK chapter of the International Association for Landscape Ecology will be held from the 1-3 September 2009 at the University of Edinburgh. Registration is now open. Plenary sessions on measuring connectivity, landscape genetics, ecosystem services, spatial planning and network implementation are planned as well as field trips and workshops. More Information

One-day symposium on "Creating a new prosperity 4 September 2009; London, UK Fresh approaches to ecosystem services and human well-being". A part of the ESRC/NERC funded transdisciplinary seminar series - FRESH (endorsed by GLP)- led by CEM/Nottingham and ORMI/University of Exeter this one day symposium will bring together leading scientists and policy makers to take stock of current research into the management of ecosystem services for human well-being, at the Royal Geographical Society, London, Friday 4thSeptember 2009. Online Registration

International Conference: Megacities: Risk, Vulnerability and Sustainable Development 7-10 September 2009; Leipzig, Germany Risk Habitat Megacity Research Initiative invites to it's International Conference: Megacities: Risk, Vulnerability and Sustainable development that will be held from 7-10 September 2009 in Leipziger KUBUS Conference Centre, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research – UFZ, Leipzig, Germany. The conference invites interdisciplinary contributions of worldwide regions from all fields of urban research such as: land use, social polarization, security, energy, water and sanitation, waste, mobility and transportation, air quality, health, food supply, economic productivity, climate, ecology. Submission of contributions for thematic sessions is welcomed either in the form of an individual paper or a proposal for an entire session including chair, up to three individual presenters and a discussant (optional). Submittal forms for individual abstracts, sessions, posters and young researchers workshop can be downloaded from the conference homepage.Please note that the conference language will be English. Download Flyer

IGBP/KVA Symposium 24 September 2009; Stockholm, Sweden “Planet under pressure: global changes, regional challenges”, is the name of the IGBP/KVA Symposium that will take place on Thursday 24 September 2009, in Stockholm. The symposium will highlight recent advances in global environmental change research, focussing on regional challenges at the science-policy interface. Themes on the Arctic, land-atmosphere-ocean interactions, and planetary boundaries will showcase some IGBP-led research and demonstrate how this research helps formulate policy. More Information

ESF-VR-FORMAS Conference: Global Change Challenges: Transforming Energy Systems Utsikten Meetings Nynäshamn, Sweden, 3-7 October 2009 The purpose of this conference is to provide the research basis for long-term transformation of energy systems that will allow us to achieve a sustainable production of energy for future generations. The conference will begin by mapping out the current landscape for energy production and envisioning the goal for future sustainable energy systems. We will then explore the transformations necessary to realise this goal, and define the kinds of systemic-level analyses that will be necessary to support reaching this goal. The conference will be a mix of plenary sessions and group meetings. As a prelude to the December UN climate conference in Copenhagen, it will aim to produce an openly available report detailing a) the major transformations needed, b) a picture of the desired energy systems landscape, c) a description of the necessary research, and d) suggestions for an implementation framework to enable and support it. Deadline 10 August 2009. Download Flyer

Conference: Biodiversity and society 13-16 October 2009, Cape Town, South Africa DIVERSITAS is pleased to announce its Second Open Science Conference: Biodiversity and Society: Understanding Connections, Adapting to Change. The conference is entirely dedicated to biodiversity science and its connections to human sciences. In keeping with the Conference title, scientists worldwide are invited to submit proposals for symposia on the following topics: Strengthening biodiversity science; Supporting the science – policy interface; Integrated approaches to topical issues; Focus on African issues is welcome. Deadline: 15 September 2008. Download Flyer

NAACSOS - Annual Conference October 23-24, 2009; Tempe, Arizona This year the NAACSOS (North American Association for Computational Social and Organizational Sciences) Annual Conference will he held on 23-24 October in Tempe, Arizona. It will be hosted by The Center of Social Dynamics and Complexity at Arizona State University. A call for papers is open with a deadline for abstracts at 15th July. More information

3rd EARSeL Workshop on Remote Sensing of Land Use and Land Cover 25-27 November 2009; Bonn, Germany The main topics of the workshop will be Land use and land cover (LULC) mapping; Land use cover change (LUCC); Land degradation & desertification; Ecological aspects of LULC/LUCC; Integration of LULC products into modelling; Accuracy, quality and scale aspects; Multi-sensor approaches; Applications with new sensor systems; Pre-processing requirements & standards. You can find more details to the event on the workshop homepage or download the PDF

Antarctic Treaty Summit 30 November – 3 December 2009; Washington D.C., USA The Antarctic Treaty Summit will be convened at the Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC from November 30 to December 3, 2009, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the signature-day for the Antarctic Treaty in the city where it was adopted in “in the interest of all mankind.” The Antarctic Treaty Summit is a fully endorsed project of the International Polar Year, funded internationally from public and private sources. More information

First call for papers: 2010 International Conference on Integrative Landscape Modelling 3-5 February 2010; Montpellier, France The conference will gather leading scientists in each of the main disciplines dealing with ecosystems and landscape simulation and management, complex dynamic modelling and assessment of vulnerability, resilience and adaptation of agro- and eco-systems under human influence. More Information

2010 State of the Arctic Conference 16-19 March 2010; Miami, Florida Hyatt Regency Miami at the Miami Convention Center, Miami, Florida 16-19 March 2010. The State of the Arctic Conference, will be an international meeting to present, exchange, and discuss the latest knowledge on the state of the Arctic and future directions of arctic science and policy. Additional information, including registration, abstract submission, and other materials, will be available soon through a State of the Arctic Conference website, which will be announced via the ArcticInfo mailing list and linked through the ARCUS website.

Conference: Scientific Assembly of the Committee on Space Research 18-25 July 2010; Bremen, Germany 38th Scientific Assembly of the Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) and Associated Events, "COSPAR 2010" is planned to take place on 18 - 25 July 2010 in Bremen, Germany. The scientific program is chaired by Prof. Tilman Spohn, Institute of Planetary Research, German Aerospace Center (DLR). Abstract Deadline: Mid-February 2010. For more information please click here or contact the COSPAR Secretariat

MRI (Mountain Research Initiative) Conference, Global Change and the World's Mountains 27 September - 1 October 2010; Perth, Scotland The overall conference theme of global change and the world’s mountains includes a wide range of themes addressed by scientists from diverse natural and social science disciplines. Following the successful model of the 2005 conference, the 2010 conference will include: Keynote presentations, which will particularly emphasise progress since 2005; thematic sessions convened by global leaders in their field (see below); working sessions to review and further develop activities within focussed research programmes; poster sessions, linked to the thematic and working sessions; public events to facilitate knowledge exchange. More Information

Deltas in Times of Climate Change 29 September-1 October 2010; Rotterdam, The Netherlands The conference will focus on the most recent scientific information about climate change and adaptation, on policy issues and international cooperation. An important event during the conference is the launching of the Delta Alliance: an international alliance promoting effective cooperation among deltas in their efforts to manage existing and new challenges. The ‘Connecting Delta Cities’ network, which started at the C40 conference in Tokyo, will play an important role in the development of this worldwide cooperation. During the conference it will present their progress in several sessions. The call for papers will be sent out in October 2009. Two days of the conference will be dedicated to science, one day to policy issues and international cooperation between Delta institutions. The conference pursues three main goals:

1. Exchange of up-to-date top science on climate change and delta planning 2. Strengthening of international cooperation between deltas and delta cities 3. Exploring and strengthening the links between science, policy and practitioners at international level. More Information

8th IALE World Congress 2011-Call for Symposium and Course Proposals: Landscape Ecology for Sustainable Environment and Culture 18-23 August 2011, Beijing, China China is an ancient country with a rich cultural legacy. The country now faces the challenge of developing landscape practices that will provide a basis for economic growth as well as environmental security. By organizing the IALE Congress, we wish to bring these issues to the attention of international scientists and to establish a platform for them to start cooperative research projects in China. More Information

PUBLICATIONS

IHDP UPDATE Magazine 2/2009 “GECHS Synthesis – Human Security in an Era of Global Change” The new role for “human dimensions" research on human security in a rapidly changing world was discussed at the GECHS synthesis conference, “Human Security in an Era of Global Change,” which took place from 22-24 June, 2009 at the University of Oslo in Norway. Building on multiple perspectives and a wide range of thematic and geographical expertise, the IHDP Secretariat and GECHS co-published a special issue of the IHDP UPDATE magazine, available for download

UDPATE Online - Discontinuation of hard-copy distribution In an attempt to save waste paper and materials, IHDP has decided to discontinue distribution of printed magazines to all others except libraries, and special cases. However, we encourage all readers to subscribe to the new electronic mailing list, where mails will be distributed when new Update Magazines are released. In this way you can continue to receive a steady flow of IHDP's best science. If you feel that you should continue to receive hard-copies of the Update Magazine, or would like to order a back copy, please contact the IHDP Secretariat , we would be happy to consider your case. Sign-up here

IHDP Report Number 20: Earth System Governance: People, Places, and the Planet Biermann, Frank, Michele M. Betsill, Joyeeta Gupta, Norichika Kanie, Louis Lebel, Diana Liverman, Heike Schroeder, and Bernd Siebenhüner, with contributions from Ken Conca, Leila da Costa Ferreira, Bharat Desai, Simon Tay, and Ruben Zondervan. 2009. Earth System Governance: People, Places and the Planet. Science and Implementation Plan of the Earth System Governance Project Earth System Governance Report 1, IHDP Report 20. Bonn, IHDP: The Earth System Governance Project More Information and Download

Earth System Governance Brochure April 2009. Download Brochure

Water policy entrepreneurs. A research companion to water transitions around the globe Edited by Dave Huitema and Sander Huitema, Dave, and Sander. editors. 2009. Water policy entrepreneurs. A research companion to water transitions around the globe. Cheltenham: Edgar Elgar.

The IHDP Open Meeting 2009 – New Multimedia Material and Conference Report Missed a plenary or a public event during the IHDP Open Meeting 2009? Would you like to take a look at some of the best papers presented at the conference, or find photos from the Opening Ceremony and the Receptions? What did participants say in the White Couch? The contributions of 938 participants, who define, challenge and implement the international human dimensions research agenda made of the IHDP Open Meeting 2009 a great success. We have tried to reflect all this, and more, in our just updated IHDP Open Meeting Website. Photos, videos, articles, and the variety of other formats presented in the website reflect the intense debates, ranging from high-level plenaries, 91 parallel sessions, about 25 special sessions and events, to a lively exhibition area for exchange and informal gatherings. A summary report on the IHDP Open Meeting 2009, “Social Challenges of Global Change”, is also available at the website

The Global Land Project receives 2009 Sustainability Science Award of the Ecological Society of America The GLP-inspired Special Feature on Land Change Science, a collection of six articles introducing and demonstrating the role and practice of land change topics and analysis appearing in PNAS (Vol. 104, No. 52) is the recipient of the 2009 Sustainability Science Award of the Ecological Society of America. The special feature included articles by social scientists, economists, geographers, and ecologists on a variety of integrated topics from residential land values to ecosystem function to agent-based models. As a set, they demonstrate the importance of changes in land use and land cover to a variety of global change and sustainability themes as well as the new analytical approaches that the science community employs to address them. One article in this set, Incorporating Plant Functional Diversity Effects in Ecosystem Service Assessments by S. Diaz, S. Lavorel et al. was also awarded the 2008 Cozzarelli Prize as one of six outstanding papers that year in the PNAS, and another, Ecological Feedback Following Deforestation Create the Potential for a Catastrophic Ecosystem Shift in Tropical Dry Forest, by D. Lawrence et. al was selected for an interview on BBC (also in 2008).

Second edition of the MRI Newsletter from The Mountain Research Initiative The second edition of the Mountain Research Initiative covers a wide range of subjects related to global change science in the mountain regions of the world. Download Newsletter

Carbon finance 2010-2020 driving investment flows Rupert Edwards Rupert Edwards, Head of Research and Market Analysis has written „Carbon finance 2010-2020 driving investment flows“ as part of a contribution to discussions in a number of fora including the Catalyst Project finance working group, IIGCC and OECD Roundtable on Sustainable Development sectoral mechanisms workshop. More Information

Adapting Cities to Climate Change: Understanding and Addressing the Development Challenges Edited by Jane Bicknell, David Dodman and David Satterthwaite This volume brings together, for the first time, a wide-ranging and detailed body of information identifying and assessing risk, vulnerability and adaptation to climate change in urban centres in low- and middle-income countries. Framed by an overview of the main possibilities and constraints for adaptation, the contributors examine the implications of climate change for cities in Africa, Asia and Latin America, and propose innovative agendas for adaptation. More Information

Renewable Energy Project Development Under the Clean Development Mechanism: A Guide for Latin America Elizabeth Lokey This definitive guide to developing renewable energy CDM projects in Latin America - the largest market on the doorstep of the United States - provides business leaders, investors, project developers and host country offices with the with one-stop guide to successful CDM renewable energy project development. More Information

Synthesis Report from the IARU Climate Change Congress published Will Steffen, Rik Leemans, Diana Liverman, et al The report synthesizing the newest research results relating to climate change and what action can be taken in response to climate change was presented today at the European Policy Centre (EPC) in Brussels by Professor Katherine Richardson, Professor John Schellnhuber and Professor Mohan Munasinghe. The writing team also included a number of scientists closely connected to IGBP/IHDP/ESSP (among others Will Steffen, Rik Leemans and Diana Liverman). The synthesis report presents an extended and more detailed version of the six key messages that were presented in the closing session of the international scientific congress Climate Change: Global Risks, Challenges & Decisions held in Copenhagen 10-12 March.Download Report

New Book: International Organizations in Global Environmental Governance Edited by Frank Biermann, Bernd Siebenhuener and Anna Schreyoegg “International Organizations in Global Environmental Governance”, a new book from the Global Governance Project GLOGOV.ORG, edited by Frank Biermann, Bernd Siebenhuener and Anna Schreyoegg has now been released by Routledge. This book provides a comparative study of the role of international organizations in environmental governance. It presents an up-to-date account of developments in this burgeoning policy area and includes detailed case studies of international organizations that range from the World Bank, the UNEP and the OECD to the many treaty secretariats. The book combines quantitative and qualitative research that advances understanding of international organizations in the field of international relations.

New Assessment: Global Carbon Project (GCP) New assessment just published on the quantity of organic carbon buried in the permafrost regions of the Northern Hemisphere, a key vulnerability to future climate change. More information

Ocean Acidification - Summary for Policymakers The sponsors of the second symposium on the Ocean in a High-CO2 World published an eight-page ocean acidification summary for policymakers including key recommendations. More Information and Summary

Globcover-Derived National Land Cover Databases for Africa GLCN (FAO's Global Land Cover Network) has promoted the re-processing of the Globcover archive at national extent for the entire African continent. The resulted data sets are vector based (.shp), coded using LCCS classes, and topologically corrected to be used in the GLCN's Advanced Database Gateway software, which allows the data set to be further analysed, for example breaking down the LCCS classes in their classifiers for user-defined aggregations. The re-processing is completed for 53 countries. More Information

WMO El Nino/La Nina Update The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) El Nino/La Nina Update has just been released. The final Update, in English, French as well as Spanish, is available on the website. More Information

New Webpage: 'Knowledge Collection for Landscape Science' The webpage is meant to provide orientation and serves as a dynamic, comprehensive and integrating information system for landscape related research. More Information

VACANCIES

Call for Nominations/Applications: IHDP Scientific Committee Membership The International Human Dimensions Programme on Global Environmental Change (IHDP) has opened a call for Nominations/Applications for membership of its Scientific Committee (SC). Nominations to the SC can be made by individuals or by the SC itself. All nominations are considered by the SC. Based on their recommendations, ISSC, ICSU, and UNU appoint IHDP’s SC members. To be nominated, the candidate should send the following items (as Word files) by email to the IHDP Secretariat (, reference: IHDP SC nomination): · A cover letter addressed to the IHDP SC Chairperson, stating the nominee’s vision for IHDP, their aspired role and concrete plans as an IHDP SC Member · The nominee's summary CV (Nomination Form) · A list of publications in the relevant research areas (max. 3 pages) Application Deadline : 31 July, 2009. Start of the membership: IHDP is currently looking for candidates willing to start in 2010 or 2011. Please indicate your availability in the cover letter. More information

Land-Ocean Interactions in the Coastal Zone Seeks SSC Candidates Land-Ocean Interactions in the Coastal Zone (LOICZ) seeks Scientific Steering Committee (SSC) Candidates for a period of 3 years. Primary functions of the LOICZ SSC are to oversee and guide the continued project development, planning and implementation as well as the delivery of project outputs; encourage collaboration between LOICZ, the ESSP, and international programs and agencies concerned with global change in the coastal zone; Provide scientific advice and assistance to national Global Change and ESSP Committees; Encourage national governments and regional and international funding agencies to support research that contributes to the LOICZ SPIS. Deadline for applications is 1 August 2009. Download Candidate Form

GECHH Project Officer - UNU-INWEH The ESSP Joint Project on Global Environmental Change and Human Health (GECHH) is recruiting a Project Officer to manage the International Project Office at the UNU-INWEH in Hamilton, Canada, starting January 2010. The position is based in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. The Project Officer (PO) will be responsible for managing the IPO. Principal activities will include the following: Raise funds for the IPO as a primary and important task; facilitate the development and implementation of the project under the guidance of the GECHH Scientific Steering Committee, interact with donor, policy and GEC and human health-resource communities, including UN organizations; coordinate and organize project meetings, workshops and conferences; coordinate publication and dissemination of research findings and training materials, maintain a Project database of information. Salary will be in the range of US$55,000 to 65,000 p.a., commensurate with the candidate’s qualifications and experience. The position will require extensive international travel as a formal representative of the project. For more details please see the full vacancy announcement. Deadline for applications is 14 August 2009.

President and CEO for the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) IISD is looking for a full-time innovative and energetic President & CEO to lead the continued growth and expansion of the Institute as a global leader through the implementation of its new five-year strategic plan. He/she will lead and inspire a global network of over 110 staff and associates, with an annual budget exceeding CAD $15 million. IISD is headquartered in Canada, and has offices in Winnipeg, Ottawa, New York and Geneva. Closing date for applications is 17:00 Pacific, September 30, 2009. More Information

Theme Leaders – CGIAR Challenge Project The CGIAR Challenge Program “Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security”, launched in 2009 for a period of 10 years is now seeking well qualified candidates for the six positions of Theme Leader. Theme Leaders will provide continuity of vision and intellectual leadership for their given Research Theme, and share responsibility for integrating Theme research into the overall CCAFS. The six Themes are: 1: Diagnosing vulnerability and analysing opportunities, 2: Unlocking the potential of macro-level policies, 3: Enhancing engagement and communication for decision-making, 4: Adaptation pathways based on managing current climate risk, 5: Adaptation pathways under progressive climate change, 6: Poverty alleviation through climate change mitigation. Theme Leaders will be appointed on a part-time (≥50% of time) or full-time basis. For part-time appointees the remaining time would be funded by their home institution to enable them to continue their respective institution’s activities. Each will be assisted by a full time science officer, possibly by secondment from the home institution. The successful candidates will be offered a full-time or part-time, 3-year renewable contract. Additional information about the position is available here. Deadline: 10 September 2009.

Assistant Professor - The Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM) The Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM), VU University Amsterdam invites applications for the position of Assistant Professor in Global Environmental Governance (starting date 1 January 2010).The successful candidate will be expected to spend about 20 percent of her/his time on teaching at MSc level and the remaining time on research projects. In particular, the successful candidate will be the core researcher in a new three-year research programme on ‘Explaining the Role and Relevance of Transnational Rule-making Organizations in Global Sustainability Politics: Contributions to a Theory of Transnational Governance’, funded by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research. Deadline for applications is 15 September 2009. More Information

Programme Officer – UNW-DPC The UN-Water Decade Programme on Capacity Development (UNW-DPC) is filling a Programme Officer position on 1 October 2009 (negotiable) on a full-time basis in the UNW-DPC office based in Bonn. The candidate should have a PhD in hydrology; water resources engineering; systems engineering; irrigation engineering; ecology; aquatic ecology and/or limnology; geophysics; geography; information technology; statistics and statistical evaluation; or other related studies a prerequisite. Under the authority of the Director of UNW-DPC, the selected appointee shall be entrusted with the technical design and implementation of tasks pertaining to UNW-DPC’s four main fields of activity: 1. Improving the strategic and operational coherence of capacity development worldwide by creating a so called 'Capacity Development Observatory'; 2. Strengthen technical and policy guidance for capacity development, and contribute to the ‘professionalization’ of water governance and management, especially with regard to providing procedural and implementation guidelines on IWRM (Integrated Water Resources Management) to improve the water governance; 3. Collaborate with other common UN Water Programmes and UN Water members on issues related to capacity development; 4. Promote capacity development as well as resource mobilization, including the organization of pertinent events and public relations. Applications open until 31 July 2009. More Information

PhD fellowship in Ecosystem Sciences and Functional Ecology available at LECA (Laboratoire d'Ecologie Alpine) at Grenoble University, France 3yrs PhD fellowship (2009-2012) in Ecosystem Sciences and Functional Ecology available at LECA (Laboratoire d*Ecologie Alpine) at Grenoble University, France. The successful applicant will work in the international EU-Biodiversa funded project VITAL which aims to produce a conceptual model of relationships among plant and microbial functional diversity in grasslands, and multiple ecosystem service delivery. Specifically the PhD student will focus on the linkages between the diversity of grasslands plant traits, the diversity of soil microbial communities and components of the nitrogen cycle both at the field and the mesocosm scales. For details please contact supervisors: S. Lavorel, and JC Clement,

Graduate student research positions at University of Iowa, Department of Geography The Department of Geography at the University of Iowa is accepting applications for graduate student research positions. These positions are available beginning as early as the Fall of 2009 and offer a unique opportunity to participate in large interdisciplinary NSF funded projects focused on the application of agent-based models to land use decision-making. Skills in geographic information science and computer programming are required. For more information please contact, David Bennett, , Department of Geography, The University of Iowa.

CALLS

Call for proposals to host the IGBP Open Science Conference in 2012 IGBP is seeking sponsors and a host city for its 2012 Open Science Conference, Planet Under Pressure: new knowledge, new solutions. The three-day science conference will attract around 2500 world-leading environmental-change scientists. It will be followed by a day dedicated to discussing findings with policymakers, the public, and funders of environmental science. The deadline for applications is 30 October 2009. The successful host nation will be announced 1 December 2009. More Information

Call for Proposals – 2009/2010 START Grants for Global Environmental Change Research in Africa Call for proposals for environmental-change research in Africa. The IGBP co-sponsored project START, or global change SysTem for Analysis, Research and Training, has announced a call for proposals for START grants for global environmental change research in Africa. Deadline for proposals: 30 August 2009. For more information email Charles S. Kauffman at or visit http://www.start.org

Call for MRI Paper Research Topics The Mountain Research Initiative funds workshops that address specific questions related to topics emphasized by the Global Change in the Mountain Regions (GLOCHAMORE) Research Strategy. Current projects funded under this program focus on the translation of climate change research into information useful for water managers, and on the key drivers of food security in mountain regions. MRI is collecting proposals for additional topics that it should address through this funding program. If a topic is selected, MRI would work with the participant to develop and execute the workshop, and to draft and submit the synthesis paper to an appropriate journal. Workshops and publication would occur in the 2010-2013 time frame. More Information

EEA – Call for Inputs The EEA (European Environment Agency) is seeking inputs to their assessment of long-term global trends for the State of the Environment Report 2010. This is a good opportunity to provide input to (and have your work cited in) an influential forward-looking assessment report. The EEA has launched its previously announced call for evidence on long-term global trends in support of Part A of the European State of the Environment and Outlook Report 2010 and other forthcoming assessments on its website last week. More Information